Sapphire Moon
by claritysmiles
Summary: Leah leaves La Push heading on a journey with a vampire she barely knows, but completely trusts. Years later, she returns ready to face a fate that was thrust upon her. And what about Jacob? LxJ
1. Leaving the Memories Behind

**Disclaimer: I don't own Twilight or any of it's characters. I do, however, own all OC's ;D. **

**A.N: So this is my first story, and I'm pretty inspired. WOOTZ! Lol. Hopefully I stay on that road. So I hope you guys enjoy. Oooo, how's Leah talking to huh, huh, huh? Guess you're gonna have to find out in Chapter 2! **

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**Leaving the Memories Behind**

Leah's P.O.V

She told me not to look back, that it'd be harder to leave if I did. Was I really going to leave everything I loved and everything I knew to go on this journey to which the outcome was completely uncertain? I laughed inwardly at the thought. Of course, I had to do this. My sanity was at stake, and I sure as hell wasn't going to lose that as well.

"It will be hard at first, but I promise you it'll only get harder."

Her words angered me, as if saying that I wasn't capable enough to handle this. I may have been the smallest wolf in the pack but I was sure as hell one of the toughest. I kicked Paul's ass enough times to prove that fact. He was at least twice my size and yet I took him down easily each time. Of course, I did an advantage when it came to speed. I was the fastest wolf in the entire pack._Both _packs to be correct.

She gave me a day to tie any loose ends seeing as we wouldn't be back for a _long_ time. I scoffed at her suggestion, telling her that all I wanted was to leave as soon as possible. She looked at me and gave me a soft smile, not needing words to relay any of her thoughts. Damn her and her smile! I sighed and reluctantly agreed to take that extra day to at least write to my mother and brother telling them the situation and not to worry and that I couldn't tell them much about my departure only what was necessary.

"They'll worry, so choose your words carefully. Reassure them that everything is fine. They'll worry less if you do so." Her eyes hinted that there would be an immense amount of pain, no matter how I told them.

I slowly opened my eyes and gazed out upon the setting sun, remembering everything that I've gone through in this forsaken land. Part of me was ecstatic that I was leaving this place that holds so many painful memories. Memories that would have once driven me to the very edge of the cliff on which I now stand. Memories that would have once driven me to take the final step into the dark, azure abyss that is now before me. Hell, if someone would have told me that I was going to lose everything I love and fall into a depression that would shatter the innermost sanctums of my soul, I would have thought that they were insane. I had a near perfect life, in my eyes. I laugh bitterly as I think how in the blink of an eye everything I held precious was taken away from underneath me. It was as if fate decided to pull the carpet out from below my feet and laugh as I laid there, beaten and deprived of comfort and happiness.

I felt a pang in my heart as I regretted wanting to leave, actually believing that everything would fix itself over time. I wouldn't really need to leave my family and friends, of which barely any remain. All the time I missed would have been for nothing.

"Don't kid yourself. You know you need to do this. Stop holding onto false hope. It will only pull you down deeper and deeper until you won't even recognize your own self." I wanted to scream at her and tell her that she was wrong, that it wasn't false hope, that it was possible, but…I couldn't. I turned and looked at her and I saw her visibly flinch, knowing that I must be really bad if _she_ flinched. I knew I couldn't kid myself then. I had to leave and she would help me. She had to.

We left shortly after that moment, and I swore to myself that I would never look as vulnerable as I looked then. I was weak and the look she gave me was borderline pity, not exactly pity but close to it. How I hated when people felt pity towards me. It was the ultimate insult to me. I would never be that weak again, I would never be as vulnerable as I was.

She sighed, "You have to realize that keeping that supposed 'weakness' bottled up inside is only going to destroy you even more. You have to embrace it and learn from it. It's the only way that you'll be able to grow. As for being vulnerable, everyone is vulnerable and sometimes you have to let it come out. It's…dangerous for people such as ourselves to keep from showing our vulnerability. It's what keeps us from turning into monsters." I looked at her and what I saw surprised me. She had a distant look in her eyes as if remembering a painful memory, one that I would ask her about one day.

I looked out the window of her Mercedes-Benz SL65. Even though we were both capable of running to wherever we needed to be much faster than it could go, I couldn't help but smile at how badass this car really was. I'm one of those people who could usually care less about a car, seeing as how I didn't really need one to get around, but I could really appreciate this car, this work of art. The engine purred and it felt more like we were gliding on the long stretch of road than actually driving. It had a sleek look and design to it which perfectly captured the essence of it's owner.

The blur of dark green made me conscious to how fast we were really going, but I didn't care, there was no way that she could crash and send us to our deaths. As I looked on, I felt the gentle embrace of Morpheus overtake me and let myself drift off into a deep uninterrupted sleep.

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Jacob's P.O.V

I had just woken up after a full night of patrols. Man, I was _really_ tired and for me to be the slightest bit tired is saying something. Ugh. But I wouldn't be this tired if it weren't for _Leah_, who blatantly refused to answer her phone. _Most_ girls have their phone attached to their ears, but _Leah_ could care less about hers. I sighed. I guess I'd just have to go over to the Clearwater house later and ask her what's up.

I got up, out of my far too small bed (why couln't there be werewolf-sized beds?) and headed into the kitchen to find something to eat, that is if _Paul _didn't eat all of my food already. Man it's annoying when you can't find anything to eat because the bottomless pit of Paul ate it all.

"Yo, wolf boy. Don't bother looking for anything in the fridge, I already looked, there's nothing in there," shouted said bottomless pit. I looked at him and sighed. "Would it pain you that much to leave _something_ for me to eat?" He only looked at me and flashed me a toothy grin. I sighed and turn to rummage through the cabinets for some cereal.

"Hey…have you talked to Seth yet?" I looked at him, confused about what he was talking about. He looked at me, hesitant to talk. "Well…he came here earlier…he said something about Leah gone…he looked pretty panicked." I stared at him in shock for a moment before rushing out the door in the direction of the Clearwater home.

I was greeted at the door by a very downtrodden looking Seth. He looked ragged as if somebody had just told him that his whole family had been murdered by his own hand.

"Jake! I don't know…I…she's gone…the letter…long time…if only I…" Seth began rambling and I felt the poor kid's pain and guilt rolling off of him in waves. "Calm down Seth. Tell me what happened," I urged him calmly. Someone had to be the voice of reason, even though I was starting to feel some major anxiety. I braced myself.

I gripped the letter in my hand as I recalled the words that it held. She left. Gone. And wouldn't be back for a _long_ time. Anger seeped through me as I let that information sink in. I couldn't understand how she could do this. Why in the _hell_ would she just leave without telling anyone? Without telling _me_? Did she really think no one would make that big of a deal if she just got up and left without giving an explanation? Fuck, I mean did she think we wouldn't care? Did she think _I_ wouldn't care? She helped me when I was in one of the lowest points of my life. She helped me get through an intense amount of pain. Was she going through the same thing? Is that why she left? Didn't she think that I'd be able to help her? She was there for me, why would she think I couldn't be there for her?

I thought back to the past few months and I couldn't think of anything that would have made her want to leave. When we phased, her thoughts were calm and happy. She was finally mending the broken pieces of her heart. We even got along, which was a bit scary at first, but after a while it was nice. She even made an effort to hang out more with me and Nessie. Nessie really liked her, and would repeatedly show me images of her and Leah having fun and I saw the genuine smile that eluded her for so long. I couldn't understand what happened, but I was sure as hell going to find out.

I ran as fast as I could, the forest passing me in a blur. The Cullen's house was not that far and I got there much sooner than I had expected. I hid behind a tree and put on my shorts and headed inside.

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**I hope you guys like it so far =X. It turned out MUCH shorter than I would have wanted. Chapter 2 shall be much longer! I PROCLAIM IT SO! :D He he he. **


	2. Memories and an Angel's Pain

**Disclaimer: I don't own Twilight or any of it's characters. But I do own Genevieve. ;D**

**A.N: Yay!! Chapter two! He he he. More information here, definitely. You even get information on Ms. Mystery OC, and her name of course. Hope ya like it! XD  
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**Memories and an Angel's Pain **

Leah's P.O.V

I awoke to the sun beating on my already sun kissed face. My vision was pretty blurry and I felt sore from being in that uncomfortable position for who knows how long.

"Finally! I thought you had fallen into a coma." She giggled.

"How long was I out?" I said as I stretched my sore and tired body. I could hear my bones cracking as I did so. "Oh, not long. Just a day or so." I snapped my head towards her. No wonder I felt so tired and sore. _'You could have woken me up you know.'_

"Well, yes I could have, but you needed to rest. Besides, it's not like I need to sleep. No need for you to take over the wheel and drive." She had a point. I really did need to catch up on some sleep. The lack of sleep was something I had to deal with every now and then. Not that it really mattered, wolves can apparently patrol for _hours_ without sleep. Or I've just gotten used to it. Either way, I felt grateful for it.

I looked over and saw that she had that soft smile on her face. But it was different this time. It looked less…pained, more genuine. Or maybe it was the way that her skin sparkled in the sun, like a freshly polished diamond held up to the light.

"Where are we exactly?" I glanced out the window seeing an abundance of trees, but clearly, or at least to me, this was nothing like the greenery of La Push. She seemed to hesitate for a moment before telling me. "Oh, we're in Maine." My eyes widened to the point that I could have sworn they would have fallen out of their sockets. She burst out laughing at me when she saw my expression. I didn't think it was that funny.

"That's because you can't see the look on your own face."

"Well you can't blame me. I…haven't been so far away from La Push…ever." My voice faltered a little at the end. It was only a day and yet it felt like so much more. I sighed. I was definitely feeling some regret but there wasn't much that I could do about that now. I just had to tough it out and remember all the reasons I was doing this.

She sighed and turned her gaze towards me. Not one word was spoken. We only gazed at each other in a silent understanding. She would teach me the things I was missing from my life, the lessons that I would need to learn to embrace all the memories that were still so fresh in my mind.

I looked away and stared out the window at my new surroundings. I let my mind wander and started thinking about her. It was a bit strange. Here I was, leaving my home and family to go one this journey of self discovery with someone I barely knew and yet trusted completely. If only Sam could see me now. I think he'd get a heart attack, or try to phase and rip her head off. Like if Sam could even actually begin to imagine laying a hand on her. The moment he even thought that, she might have already sliced his body in half. I shuddered. That was a scary thought, she was so dangerous and so unpredictable. She was the perfect killer in every sense of the word. Beautiful, cunning, fast, undetectable, strong, fearless, and to top it all off, she wasn't human. I was guessing she hasn't been human in a very long time. _Oh shit! She can hear me!_

I looked over at her and didn't see a change in her expression. Maybe she didn't hear me…We stayed silent for the rest of the trip.

We finally arrived, to what I could only assume to be our new home for a while. The place was a cozy cabin in the middle of the dense forest's of Maine. The cabin had a little garden in the front and seemed like the very place little red riding hood's grandmother would have lived in. We headed inside and to my surprise, it was fully furnished. It had a quaint kitchen to one side of it, and to the other, a door that seemed to lead to the bedroom. The living room was small but had a large leather couch that looked so inviting.

"You'll be taking the bedroom, of course. And don't worry about anything else, it will all be taken care of." She smiled at me once more before walking out the door. I glanced around the cabin, taking in everything I saw and memorizing every crack, every splinter. I decided to head into the bedroom and check it out and maybe even take a nap. The room was pretty plain, a _huge_ bed sitting in the middle of the room, which I was very grateful for. I may have been the smallest wolf, but that didn't mean my human form stayed that way. I was about 6'1" and compared to my brothers I was pretty small, but I was taller than most of the girls in La Push which was something else that set me apart and forced me to drift farther apart from the girls I once called friends.

I laid down on my new bed and closed my eyes, something I probably shouldn't have done because the moment I did all the memories came rushing back.

"_Come on, Leah! Nessie really wants to hang out with you today. Get your lazy ass out of bed." I groaned. Couldn't he just let me sleep for _once_. I pulled the cover down to where the only thing he could see were my glaring eyes. _

"_Jake, can you _please_ go away? You're not the one who had to run patrols _two days straight_!" I shouted at him. He just looked at me for a second before giving me that smug smirk that he seemed to have adopted from Paul. I made a mental note to go kick Paul's ass one more time for that. _

"_Leah…" He said my name in such a soft tone that it forced my heart to start beating faster. _Shit_! Control yourself Leah! Control…Ugh, but it was so hard when Jake's standing there…in my room…half naked…ACK! He's my Alpha, he's my Alpha, he's my Alpha…I started repeating this in my head like a mantra. _

_I pulled the covers completely off and was about to exit my bedroom when I felt his arms wrap around my waist from behind. I froze. I wanted to kick him, punch him, do _something_ but I couldn't. "Leah…" I felt his warm breath on my neck and I couldn't stop the shiver that went down my spine. One second I was facing the hallway and the next I had Jacob Black's lips crushed to mine. He opened his mouth and passed his tongue on my bottom lip, asking for entrance. I should have rejected him. I should have pushed him away and slapped him as hard as I could, but I found myself tangling my tongue with his in a fiery and passionate kiss that I felt I was going to be forever lost in. _

_Before I knew it, he pulled away from me and smirked that smug smile. I almost whined at the loss of contact. "Get dressed. Can't keep Nessie waiting any longer." He flashed me a quick wolfy grin before leaving me there, cold and confused. _

_Days turned into weeks and Jacob acted as if nothing ever happened. He would occasionally give me that stupid smirk and would wink at me, but never anything beyond that. What the hell was I to him? A fountain of relief until his leech love was old enough to love him, and give him what he's really after? Did he think I was a quick lay? Something he could toy with? Oh I was angry, but I never let those emotions show. I had to hand it to myself, I was a _great_ actress. My thoughts would convey what happened during the day, my face and eyes never betraying what I was feeling. _

"_Aunt Leah, are you happy?" That one question. That one single question from a being so young almost broke me right there. I felt the mask I had created slowly breaking but I quickly composed myself and answered her. "Of course, Nessie. I'm finally getting happier and it's all thanks to you and Jake and the pack." I forced a huge smile to show her that I wasn't lying. She only looked at me and continued walking towards the Cullen's home. Once again, I was left cold and confused._

_I walked to the cliff and stood there for hours. I knew no one would think that I was going to do something like run off somewhere and kill myself. My mask was too convincing and perfectly sewn together for anyone to get even an inkling of what I was capable of doing at this moment. _

"_You're not solving anything by doing this. Do you really think that people are just going to forget about you and go on with their happy lives?" I didn't even bother looking at her. Part of me knew she was right, but the other part of me was to dead to care what anyone would think. "Leah, it's not worth it." She said that with such a finality to it that I stepped away from the cliff. _

_I turned to face her. "What else can I do? You probably know better than I do how I feel." I couldn't recognize my voice for a moment, it sounded so…lost, broken, defeated. _

I opened my eyes and felt the tears that had forced themselves out. I went into the bathroom that was attached to the bedroom and washed my face, erasing any evidence of the tears that dared show themselves. After I was done, I looked out the window and sighed. I couldn't keep thinking about this.

I walked outside and saw the setting sun, but it looked different. It looked better. Out of the corner of my eye, I saw her clip a single white rose from the garden. She studied it carefully and her eyes seemed to soften to the point where they looked…human.

"Can I ask you something?"

"Of course, Leah. Ask me anything."

"You don't have to tell me if you don't want to…I mean I'm probably being really rude to ask this…but…how were you turned, Genevieve?" I was scared to look at her and see the reaction on her face, but then I felt a cold hand on my shoulder. I turned and she had that same pained soft smile on her face, and I knew that this was going to be a difficult story for her.

She started. "It all began many years ago…"

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Genevieve's P.O.V

I was once a very happy and naïve child, never being exposed to the pain and suffering that many other people of my time were subjected to. I lived a very sheltered life, my family being able to afford a prestigious tutor to visit my home and teach me the things that I would need to know to live life.

My mother was a French noblewoman, and my father was a northern Italian nobleman, as he would be known now in this century. We lived in a modest French villa close to the border of France and Italy, near the ocean. The view was breathtaking and I loved to stare at the scenery that I was blessed to have. To the side of the villa, my mother and I had a vast garden with all kinds of flowers and shrubbery flourishing everywhere. I truly enjoyed the times I spent with her, even if I was kept there like a secret, never really venturing far away from our home, spending most of our time in each others company. I was _truly _happy.

My father would tell me bedtime stories each night of how he met my mother. He would tell me that she was the most beautiful woman he had ever seen, and the moment their eyes met, he knew that she was the one whom he could never live without. He would get a distant look on his face, as if he was transported back to that time and place and I would only stare at my father with pure adoration.

'You my darling, are the pride and joy of my life.'

My father always told me that I was his reason for living, and that nothing would ever part me from him, even death. My mother and I were the most important things in his life and nothing would ever change. My father would always say this with such intensity and passion that one could not help but agree with him. However, all good things must come to an end, and my fairytale life was going to end in a monstrous way.

My father was away on business, as he would be every so often, taking care of business or other in Italy, leaving me and my mother in our villa. 'I'll be back soon, my sweet. Remember to behave for your mother. I love you with all my heart, dearest Genevieve.' Those were the last words I heard come from my father.

I remember it all, every gruesome detail, every painful memory. My mother had finally been able to put be down for bed, inwardly I giggled because as soon as she was gone I was going to quietly sneak out to the beach and watch the waves on this beautiful moonlit night. I heard her retreating footsteps and waited until I heard she shut her door before pulling the covers off myself and I began my search for my shoes.

'Finally. My goodness, I really must make note on where I keep everything.' I began to put on my lost shoe with this thought in my head when I heard it. A bloodcurdling scream that would have woken up the dead. I panicked. I didn't know what was going on. I didn't know what to do. And then…I heard it again. It snapped me out of my momentary reverie. I finally worked up enough courage to investigate, and walked slowly to my mother's door.

As I got closer, I felt my heart in my throat. I felt like my heart was going to explode out of my chest, but even so I walked towards my uncertain fate. I stopped in front of the doors leading to my mother and father's bedroom. I questioned whether it was only my imagination, but…I had to see for myself. It was if something was pulling me there and no matter what my brain screamed at me, my body refused to obey.

I pushed the doors open, my eyes widening at the scene that lay before me. There, in the middle of the room, was the person who claimed to care and love me, the person who said I was their pride and joy, the person who swore that he would never let anything happen to me, and that no matter what nothing would part us, even death. My father held my mothers lifeless body, lips smeared with the crimson elixir that once coursed through her veins. 'Move! Run! RUN! Please, run!' But my body was frozen in this single spot, a few feet from my mother's body. I suddenly felt the tears that had been running down my face, and I knew, from that moment I knew, I would share a fate similar to the one befallen on the angel barely out of my grasp.

Suddenly my view was blocked, and as I looked up I gasped at the sight of the scarlet eyes of my once knight in shining armor. He looked down at me with a smile that did not fit the face of the person I once knew. This wasn't my father anymore…this…was a monster.

'My darling, don't be afraid. You are my pride and joy, never forget that.'

My brain ceased to function at that moment, my body to scared and frozen to react, my instincts were long gone as I waited the fate God thought was worthy for me.

I felt a cold hand take mine and began to lead me away from the scene that left me dead inside. Before I realized it, I was in the garden with this monstrous creature inches away from me. He lifted my chin, forcing my deadpan eyes to stare at his feverish ones.

'My sweet, I told you that nothing would ever part us, even death. And so, I have a gift to give you, one that only one as pure as yourself could ever receive.' He stared at the pendant that hung from my neck, a gift from my mother and father. He smiled as he lifted it in his cold, dead hands and look towards the sky as if contemplating something. 'Did you know, my darling, that you were born under such a beautiful crescent moon as the one that graces our presence tonight? That is why you wear this crescent pendant.'

I continued to stare at him, tears never stopping, as he bent down close to my ear and whispered, 'Do not fret, my dear. It will hurt at the beginning but it will all be over sooner than you think.' And with those final words, my fate was sealed.

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**Yay! Genevieve's story continues a little bit on the next chapter and you even get a description of her pretty self. **

**If I'm not lazy I'll probably draw her sometime soon and post the link on my profile. ;DD. RxR! Much love!  
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	3. Now My Moon is Gone

**Disclaimer: I do not own Twilight or any of it's characters. Genevieve is miiiiinnneee! =D**

**A.N: Ha ha! Chapter 3! WOOTZ! Wow this one took a lot out of me. Oh oh oh, and I'm so glad that you guys like it! I thought that it was going to bomb horribly, but I'm happy you guys do like it! :D Makes me wanna write lots more. He he he. So heads up, I may not be updating until Sunday or Monday. Gotta help with my nephew's birthday party this weekend, so I might not have time to write. O.O But I'll update as soon as I can. Now onwards to read the story. Enjoy. ;D  
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**Now My Moon is Gone...**

Leah's P.O.V

I couldn't believe everything that Genevieve had gone through. I suddenly felt guilty, thinking that my pain and problems were so insignificant compared to hers. I came to terms with some of the pain that I've gone through, but…she was left dead on the inside, completely and entirely dead.

She continued with her story. "I awoke a few days later in a strange place. This was not the home that I shared with my mother and father. The pain that I felt that night, the fire that coursed through me, was finally gone. My senses were never so alive. It was if everything was so much clearer to me, my body felt electrified with all these strange, new sensations but on the inside I was as lifeless as my fallen angel.

"Shortly after that, my 'father' entered my room and beckoned me towards him. He once again lifted my chin, and I heard the faint gasp that he elicited when he stared at me, his penetrating eyes looking in my own. 'My, my, it seems that it was not a bad decision after all.' He smiled and left.

"I was a bit intrigued at what he meant, and one look in the full-length mirror on the opposite wall told me everything. I was…different. My 16 year old body looked so much more…fuller…adequate…attractive. My obsidian hair, passed on to me by my mother, looked so much richer, my tanned skin looked a few shades lighter and seemed to almost glow. My facial features looked so delicate, graceful, while only having a few subtle changes. I tried avoiding looking into the eyes of what I've become, but it seemed that my curiosity got the better of me and as I slowly looked into my eyes, I gasped. My crystal sapphire eyes where in place, exactly as I had them from my human birth. I was confused, expecting to see the eyes of the murderer, not the angel."

I listened intently to her story. She told me how she was an anomaly, and that set her apart from those she was to supposed to call her 'family.' From the moment of her 'birth' was a 'vegetarian' and refused to take the lives of humans. She told me how her family thought her different than the rest of them, and how she was later regarded as a 'goddess.' She was a few degrees warmer than the rest of them were, and she had multiple gifts instead of one. Unlike the rest of her family, she remembered everything from her human life, making her only hate them and her new life even more.

I remembered the first time I saw her. At a first glace, she was a normal human. She was about the same height as Alice, about 5'1" or 5'2", and about the same frame as her too, but she was a bit more shapely. She was slightly tanned and didn't have the same eye color that the rest of the leeches had. As a matter of fact, she didn't even have that sickly sweet smell that radiated out of the Cullen home. I had gotten somewhat used to it, but the smell was too strong sometimes that I had to step out and breathe in some fresh, clean air. Genevieve had an interesting scent to her. She smelled like mandarins and mango's, and for that I was _truly _thankful. It was only after I had come to know her a little more that I understood what she really was.

"I decided to leave a few centuries after I was turned, not being able to stand the way of life that my father and family engaged in. I've traveled the world ever since, visiting places near and far, learning and living. It has been pretty peaceful. In my travels, I've met many different covens. Some have chosen to live their lives by feasting on humans, others have chosen to live their lives much like the Cullens. Meeting a coven as big as Carlisle's was a bit shocking at first, since there weren't many like his to begin with. It was quite the treat, I suppose you could say. " Genevieve looked towards the sky and I followed her gaze until I met the moon. The moon held so much meaning for her, as it did for me.

From the corner of my eye, I saw her reach and grasp the pendant the laid on her chest. It was really quite beautiful. It was white gold in the shape of a crescent moon, and on the end of each point made by the moon's shape, laid two beautiful sapphire gems. _Is that…the same one? Why would she…_

She gave a small laugh. "Yes, it is the very same pendant given to me by my mother and father. I wear it as a symbol to them and to the happiness that we once shared. I suppose one could say that still having it is somewhat masochistic, but…it reminds me of my humanity. It reminds me that even though I am now a monster, I do not have to act like one and be the murderer of someone else's angel." I stared at her, shock and anguish clearly written on my face. I never knew she felt as strongly as she did. I was glad that she shared something so…full of anguish and betrayal.

"Well, that's enough of that. No more sad anything's from me. How about we go and explore the woods and see how close we are from the town and possibly neighbors? I wouldn't want them coming here with torches and pitchforks demanding I give them the werewolf that lives with me." She giggled. I had to laugh at that image. A mob of angry townsfolk, demanding for the she-wolfs head, and poor, innocent, fragile-looking Genevieve pleading with them, promising that I was different. "A page right out of Mary Shelley's _Frankenstein_, don't you think? How about a race? Go phase and I'll wait for you here."

"Are you sure? I mean, I sure wouldn't want humiliate." I smirked at her.

She giggled wholeheartedly. "We'll see."

I ran behind one of the trees off to the side of the cabin and carefully took of my clothes and folded them in a neat pile, leaving them hidden by the tree. I felt the same electricity I always felt when I phased and in an instant I was by Genevieve's side once again.

It was unusually quiet and in my excitement about the race I forgot that if Jacob or Seth phased they'd be able to hear my thoughts. I started to panic. I had to phase back.

"Calm down Leah. They won't be able to hear you, I've made sure of that. Your thoughts are private to your brothers and will not be heard by them if you do not wish it so." I looked up at Genevieve relieved, and honestly I was left intrigued by her. She could read minds, like Edward, and see the future, like Alice, but her gifts were so much more powerful than theirs. What else could she do? "This barrier is a…variation of what Bella is able to do."

'_What _other_ gifts do you have?'_

"That, dearest Leah, will be revealed all in due time. I must keep _some_ things a surprise. Where is the fun in knowing what you've gotten for Christmas, if you went shopping and picked your presents out for yourself?" She smiled at me.

''_Cause then I wouldn't be stuck wearing a "Who's Afraid of the Big Bad Wolf?" t-shirt and pretend that I love it?' _

"Yes, well, I suppose that may be true, however, some things are best left as surprises. How about this, if you beat me you can ask me anything regarding my gifts?"

'_And if you win?'_

"If I win, I will have the pleasure of asking you a question about anything."

I groaned. _'Fine.' _I had a bad feeling about this. But a race was a race, and I sure as hell wasn't going to back out of it, no matter what the conditions.

"Ready…"

'_Set…'_

"GO!"

We both set off , running at top speed. God, I loved this feeling. It always felt as if I was just letting myself go, letting the wolf take over, and letting my instincts guide me. It was so exhilarating. The trees flashed before my eyes in a blur of dark green, and I felt the familiar sensation of water splashing but I was too entranced to really notice. My body sliced through the wind, almost as if I was flying instead of running. I couldn't tell where Genevieve was, but at the moment I didn't really care. I was too lost in this feeling and I wished it would never stop.

I burst of the dense forest and landed in a clearing. My heart was beating so harshly, it felt like it was going to rip itself out of my chest. I stood there for a moment, taking in my surroundings and trying to calm down my poor heart, when I heard a soft chuckle coming from a few feet in front of me. I looked up and saw Genevieve standing there, hair and clothes perfectly flat on her body, looking as if she had walked here.

"Took you long enough."

'_Oh no. There is _no_ way that you got here before me. That's impossible.'_

"Don't count your chickens before they hatch, Leah. And I'm not surprised that you did not notice me. Your thoughts were concentrated solely on running. I don't blame you. It is a wondrous feeling, being free and unadulterated."

I gave her a big wolfy smile. _'That's exactly how it feels. Well…I guess you won huh? But can I just say, we never even agreed on an ending point.'_

"Would it really have mattered? I mean, I did beat you horribly. An ending point wouldn't have changed that fact."

I gave her a low growl. _'Hmph! Maybe it would have.'_ Okay, so it probably wouldn't have, but I was stubborn, and oh how I _loathed_ losing.

"Get used to it." She smirked at me and I glared at her. "Oh stop being a baby. It's quite unbecoming of a lady such as yourself. Goodness dear me. You mustn't act in such away, dearest Leah. You'll scare everyone who comes into contact with you and then who'll ever want to be your escort to your debutante ball?" She finished that off with such an innocent look on her face, all the while batting her long eyelashes in a very dramatic way. Oh, and _I_ thought I was quite the actress. She could have taken home a freaking _Oscar_ for that performance.

I gave her an annoyed glare, but she just ignored it and started to walk back the same way we came here. I debated whether I should stay around and exploring a little while longer but I gave up that thought quickly, remembering that I don't know this territory at all. I sighed. I guess it would have to wait for tomorrow. I caught up with her, and we walked all the way back to our makeshift home. On the way, I was able to notice how different this forest was to the one in La Push. We passed a couple or hiking trails and I made a mental note of where they all laid. I'd have to be careful. I also noticed the stream that I had apparently run through during our race. I began to take notice of the trees and shrubbery. The trees definitely had a completely different scent to them, and they weren't as tall as the ones in La Push. I don't think it would take much for me to knock a few of them down.

"I really wouldn't do that if I were you. The more trees, the more coverage we have."

'_Just a couple of trees?'_

"No Leah."

'_Aww, you're no fun.'_

"If you think you're able to get out of our bet by distracting me, you are quite mistaken. I promise you I don't forget _anything_."

I sighed. _'It was worth a shot.'_

I went behind the same tree I phased behind earlier and phased back. I put on my clothes quickly and headed inside. I was _starving_. I made my way into the kitchen wondering if food came with said kitchen.

"Oh! Leah, I'm so sorry. I'm glad I always have this place stocked with plenty of food. Go take a shower or something, I'll have something ready for you when you get out. I sometimes forget that you eat human food." I laughed at her before taking her suggestion and getting a nice hot shower. I wondered how exactly her cooking would taste if she had no taste buds of her own to sample it.

"My cooking is pretty damn good!" I heard her shout from the kitchen, and I laughed again.

I began to undress, folding up my clothes and putting them neatly on the dresser outside of the bathroom door. I climbed into the shower, turning on the water and letting the water fall on my overheated skin. God, it felt so good. I _really_ needed this.

I stayed in there for a little while, until my hunger got the best of me and I reluctantly turned off the water and got out of the shower. I wrapped a towel around myself and went in search of my clothes. Instead of finding the tattered remains of my clothes, I found that in their place was a white tank top and a pair of black jean Capri's.

"Your clothes had far too many holes and rips in them. I thought you would appreciate clothes that lacked the holes and rips." I smiled up at Genevieve.

'_Thank you.'_ She smiled at me and left me to get dressed, telling me to hurry or the food was going to get cold. She really had an amazing eye when it came to picking out sizes. The tank top and Capri's hugged my curves nicely, without showing off too much. Oh…wait…she's psychic. Nice one, Leah. I laughed at myself and followed the heavenly aroma that was concentrated in the kitchen.

"Wow." That was the only thing I could say. On the table, in the middle of the kitchen, was a vast amount of food and it all smelled amazing. Genevieve had really outdone herself. I didn't think I'd be able to eat it all.

"Well, you'll never know until you try. Go on, don't let this food go to waste."

I sat down and began to feast on all the different foods that laid before me. For a second, I thought it was all an illusion. It was all so mouthwatering good! I started out with the roasted turkey and mashed potatoes and then went on to the lasagna and garlic bread. I wondered how Genevieve was such a capable chef and so I asked her.

"Oh, well, when I wasn't studying, playing in the garden, or staring out of my window, I used to help my mother prepare dinner. We were definitely financially capable of hiring a cook, but my mother loved to cook and bake, and it brought us even closer together. She was very meticulous about her cooking, so I always knew the exact amount of ingredients to put in everything. I suppose it is another way for me to feel close to her." If Genevieve was able to cry, I know I would have seen a few tears run down her cheeks. Inwardly, I started to feel guilty. It seemed like all my questions, lately, were bringing back memories of the past. Ugh. I felt like the bitch harpy everyone said I was.

After dinner, I helped her put away the food that I didn't manage to stuff down my gullet, and then I offered to do the dishes. "I shall be in the garden if you need me, Leah. The flowers need some tending to."

"But it's midnight…" I raised an eyebrow at her.

"One of the best times to take care of flowers. Lunar cycles are useful when it comes to primping flowers." She smiled and went back on her merry way.

I finished the dishes and headed to my bedroom. I plopped down on the bed, and I started wondering how everyone was doing without me. It has been about two or three days. They're all probably over it. I sighed. I felt the encroaching darkness overtake me, and before I knew it, I was fast asleep images of my brother and mother racing through my dreams. And…Jacob.

* * *

Jacob's P.O.V

I groaned. The lack of sleep is starting to get to me. Leah's been gone for two days and no one's been any help. No one in La Push has even the slightest idea where she could have gone, and none of the leeches have been able to pick up her scent, not that any of the wolves have been able to either.

I headed to the last place where her scent was detected, the cliff. My emotions were going all over the place when Edward told me the trail ended here, and in bout of anger I almost ripped his head off, before Emmett and Jasper pinned me to the ground, successfully breaking my fucking wrist in the process.

I clenched my hands. "Where the fuck are you? Leah…why did you leave? Why did you leave…me?" My voice broke at the end. I just couldn't come to terms with the fact that she's gone. She didn't leave much information on where she was going, but she did say with whom she was leaving with.

_Dear mom and Seth, _

_Please try not to worry. I'm fine and there's no definite answer that I can give you for leaving. I'll try to come back as soon as I can, but…know that I may not return for a couple of years. Again, don't worry. I need to do this. By the time you read this, I'm going to be miles away. I'll be okay, I promise. Genevieve is going with me, but don't panic, please. I _will_ be back and hopefully I can resolve everything. I love you both. _

_With love,_

_Leah_

_P.S. I'm sorry…_

I kept going over every single word. I couldn't even begin to imagine why in the hell she would want to leave. I wanted to be angry at Genevieve for helping her leave, but I knew I couldn't. I didn't know Genevieve as well as Leah did, but somehow I knew that they were both kindred spirits. Both broken and way beyond repair. Genevieve would never do anyone any harm, I knew that for a fact.

I sighed. _Years_. She wouldn't be back for _years_. That's what made me angry. Why? What the fuck happened? What the fuck did I do? _God!_ I was so aggravated that I was sure as hell glad that no one was near me right now, or I don't think I could control myself. I started thinking back to the past few months.

"_Come on, Leah! Nessie really wants to hang out with you today. Get your lazy ass out of bed." I shouted at her from doorway. I knew she was tired, but she made a promise to Nessie, and I wasn't the one who told her to go patrol. I saw her pull the cover down to where the only thing I could see were her eyes glaring at me. _

"_Jake, can you _please_ go away? You're not the one who had to run patrols _two days straight_!" She shouted at me. I was about to let her just sleep and get there late, but then I got an idea in my head. God, I hope she didn't kick my ass, but it would have been worth it. I looked at her then, giving her a simple smirk after thinking about my plan._

_I really liked Leah. I didn't know that it was possible because I _had_ imprinted on Nessie. But there was something pulling me to Leah. I couldn't help it. I just wanted to see what her reaction would be, and then maybe I'd grow the balls and go from there. _

"_Leah…" I said her names softly and saw her eyes widen a bit before she pulled off the covers. She had her usual scowl set in place and was about to walk out of the room. I had to think quick, and I hope to _God_ that she wouldn't rip me a new one. My heart started beating faster at the thought of what I was about to do. _

_As soon as she was almost out of her room, I wrapped my arms around her waist. She tensed up and I was a bit wary that she was going to rip my head off. I leaned my head in, and whispered in her ear. "Leah…" I felt a shiver go down her spine and took that as a good reaction. She still seemed dazed as I spun her around in my arms. _

_Before she had time to react, I crushed my lips to hers. I reveled on how soft and warm her lips were. For a second, I got scared she'd push me away but instead she moved her lips with mine. I brushed my tongue on her bottom lip, asking her permission, and she hesitated for a second before opening her mouth slightly. I tangled with her tongue trying to gain dominance in the kiss. _

_I pulled away from her shortly after, remembering that we had things to do today. I smirked at her. "Get dressed. Can't keep Nessie waiting any longer." I flashed her a quick grin and went outside to wait for her. I didn't know what to do next. She didn't reject me but…what if she was imagining Sam? I had to control myself. I was to confused at what to do now. I hoped her thoughts would lead me into a better direction on how to handle this. _

_Days turned into weeks and Leah acted as if nothing ever happened. I would occasionally give her one of my trademark smirks, just to see if her thoughts changed to what happened that one morning. But…nothing ever happened. She wouldn't react in the way I wish she would have. Her thoughts only recounted what happened during the day or something like that. She acted as if nothing happened. I was kind of scared to confront her and talk about that morning. _

_I sighed to myself. I guess I'd just have to focus on other things, which was really damn hard. I wanted her. I couldn't help myself from thinking about her sometimes, and when we phased I'd think about Nessie or something stupid. Things went on the same like that, and she seemed the same, but happier. I went to ask Genevieve about it. She told me not to worry and to give it some time. _

Leah was everything to me. We helped each other in so many ways. When I thought Bella was dying, she was there for me and helped me overcome the pain. At first she didn't like Nessie, but later she warmed up to her and I took that as a good sign. She was also my Beta. She was an important part of my pack and I didn't know if I could handle it without her. I phased and ran back home.

I ran behind a tree near my house and phased back, untying my clothes from my ankle. I put on my cutoff shorts and headed to my room. Billy was asleep, so I didn't have to answer any questions about Leah. It hurt thinking about her.

I plopped down on my bed and soon I drifted off to sleep. My final thoughts were on the girl that haunted my dreams. She was my everything. She was my moon. My Leah.

* * *

**And scene. I tried to put some humor in here, not sure if I failed at it but eh. Hope you guys get why Jakey did what he did. He he. Silly boy, doesn't know how to open up to pretty girls. **

**Hope you guys liked it. RxR. Ciao per allora! (hint, hint,) ;D**

**Edit: wynea76: The smirking is just like Jacob's thing. Like when I think of Jacob he has a number of smiles, and one of the smiles he gives Leah most of the time is a smirk. You know, showing he's all cocky and Alpa-y on the outside, but all confused on the inside. That's just Jacob being Jacob with Leah.  
**


	4. Cold Hands, Warm Hearts

**Disclaimer: I do not own Twilight or any of its characters. **

**A.N: Woooo!! Sorry for the wait, very busy this weekend. He he. Well, here's the next wonderful chapter. We even have a guest star! Read on to find out who! XD  
**

* * *

**Cold Hands, Warm Heart**

Leah's P.O.V

"Leah! Leah, wake up! LEAH!" I forced my eyes open as I sat up abruptly. My hair was stuck to my sweat soaked face, and my body was shaking violently. I found myself swallowing in air like a madman. That dream…God. When am I _ever _going to have any peace?

I heard Genevieve sigh deeply. "Leah, this has been going on for months. Please, Leah…just let me…"

"No. Don't even think about it."

"Leah…"

"NO!" I screamed. "I'm sorry. I can handle it, Genevieve. Please…I can handle it." I pleaded with her. She stared into my eyes, but said nothing.

She left my side and headed for the door. She stopped at the doorway and spoke in a hard voice. "Get dressed." And with that, she was gone. I sighed. She was angry, but she'd never say it out load. That wasn't Genevieve.

I brought my knees up to my chest and rested my head on them. I really must be some type of masochist or something. It was the same dream, over and over and over again. I couldn't stop it and I wouldn't let her alter it. I sighed., closing my eyes and letting the images replay once again.

_I woke up in my bed, back in La Push. I got up from my bed and headed downstairs to find mom and Seth. It was usually quiet in my house by the time I woke up, so I thought nothing of the silence that enveloped my house. I got a bowl out of the cabinet and some cereal and sat down to eat. Everything looked the same. Nothing changed. So what was up with this anxiety that I couldn't shake off? _

_I headed outside, leaving my bowl of cereal discarded on the counter. I sniffed the air and everything still smelled the same. Why didn't this feeling go away? It felt so heavy in my heart, and the more I tried to block it out the worse it got. I sighed. I thought about going to go see Jake, and so I phased and ran to his house. When I arrived there, the door was slightly open and I looked inside. No one was there. Huh. That was weird. I mean, not even Billy was there. I figured Jake must be at the Cullen home, so I turned and headed in that direction. _

_As I was ran through the woods, the anxiety started building more and more. I felt as if something was chasing me, and I couldn't help but look._

_I saw it then. _

_This…darkness was creeping towards me. I picked up the pace and the darkness only seemed to go faster. The Cullen home was only about 30 feet away. I had to make it. I forced my body into overdrive, running faster than ever. The darkness was on my tail, never letting up. I had no choice but to go through the door. _

_It stopped._

_I turned to look and it was gone. What in the _hell_ was that? I decided not to find out. But…something was weird. None of the leeches were here either. I was pretty sure that when a werewolf goes through your door and makes a mess of your otherwise spotless house, you'd at least want to know what happened. _

_No one came. _

_I went upstairs and looked in all the rooms, but no one was there. I went into Rosalie's room to find some clothes, realizing I was still phased and had no clothes with me. I phased back, seeing as there was nobody there no one would see me naked. I picked out some shorts and a tank top and quickly got dressed. Where the hell was everybody? I went back downstairs and stuck my head out of the gaping hole I left. _

_Silence. _

_It seemed safe, and I couldn't just stay here. I quietly went outside. My thoughts quickly went back to mom and Seth, and I ran back to La Push, forgetting the darkness that threatened to envelop me earlier. I ran as fast as my legs could take me, but…suddenly I stopped. I…didn't know what this feeling was…but I stopped. _

_The cliff. _

_I felt something pulling me to the cliff. It was so strong, and I couldn't fight it. I was at the edge of the cliff, and my eyes widened in shock. The waves were so…violent. I've never seen them this way. The anxiety began to build up again, but I couldn't take my eyes away from the sight before me. This…this place held so many of my memories, good and bad. Why? Why was this happening?_

_I felt it then. _

_I spun around, but my eyes beheld nothing. What was going on? My eyes searched the dense forest for something to make sense of what the hell was going on. _

"_Pathetic…"_

"_Harpy bitch…"_

"_Can't ever let things go…"_

"_Watch her…"_

"_Just one step back…"_

"_Murderer…"_

"_Wh-Who's th-there?" I barely heard myself. I searched and searched, but nothing was there. Or so I thought._

"_Slut…"_

"_Lonely whore…"_

"_Pitiful…"_

"_No wonder he left her…"_

"_WHO'S THERE?!" I screamed. To say that I was terrified would have been the biggest understatement of the century. And then, there they were. Everyone. Both of the packs, the Cullen's, my mom, Seth…What the hell was going on? They all had wild looks on their faces, vicious and deadly. I would have taken a step back if it weren't for the fact that I was on the very edge of the cliff. _

"_Mom…Seth…" I began to say. _

"_Murderer."_

"_Wh-what?"_

"_Murderer. It's your fault that your father is dead. It's all your fault. You brat. Everything he did for you and you never appreciated a goddamn thing. If you weren't alive, your father would still be here. If only you didn't exist, he would have never died. Murderer." My mother gave me a cold, dead stare, her words laced with venom. _

"_It's all your fault, Leah. God, you're pathetic! Everyone said it wasn't your fault, but we all knew it was. You took dad away. But what was the only thing on your mind? Sam. Sam this and Sam that. Ugh, you're just so damn pitiful. Why couldn't you stop thinking about him and think about dad or mom or me? Nothing mattered but your precious Sam. I'm glad that all that shit happened to you. I'm _glad_ that Sam imprinted and left you heartbroken. You deserved everything that you went through, and you deserve so much worse." _

"_Seth…I…how can you say that?" I felt the tears stinging my eyes. _

"_I don't even know why I bothered with you in the first place, Leah. Even when we were dating, you were a pathetic, weak, stupid girl. Emily's ten times the woman that you'll ever be. She's perfect in ways that you can only imagine. She's actually a pleasure to be around…unlike you." I couldn't believe what I was hearing. How could Sam say that to me? I…_

"_You are quite pathetic, Leah. I mean, really. You are always thinking about poor, poor you. 'O woe is me! I'm so sad and no one will ever love me.' But Sam is right. You are quite a bother to be around. Not like Bella, who is an absolute delight. You are nothing by comparison. She's perfect and you are…well…" Edward gave me such a nasty smirk and laughed._

"_How…how can you all say this to me? I…I thought you guys loved me…I thought you were my friends…" The tears in my eyes were threatening to fall, but I wouldn't let them. _

_Jake laughed suddenly. He was holding Nessie, who looked all grown up and beautiful. "Friends? You thought that we were your friends? HA! Don't make us laugh, Leah. Who'd want to be friends with such a harpy bitch like you? Sometimes I wished I could just come up from behind you, and when you least expected it attack you and end your bitter, pathetic life. The only reason I tolerated you was because you gave me something to look at every once in a while." _

"_Jake…" _

"_What did you think, Leah? That I would somehow be able to overcome the pull of imprinting and be with you? That I would love you? Grow old with you? Now that is something to laugh at. Why would I ever want you? Nessie is more than I could ever want in a women. Perfect, in every sense of the word. And, unlike you, she's not a genetic dead-end. We're going to have lots of children, to love, to hold, to cherish. And you? You'll still be here…in La Push…fawning over Sam or some other unreachable man in your life. There's no future with you. How about you do us all a favor and jump?" _

_I was sobbing now. I couldn't hold it back anymore. "Jake…Why?…How?…" I couldn't say anything else. I was too hysterical now. That was when I saw it. The darkness coming once again. It appeared in front of all of us, and swirled in a giant circle. It was horrible and the vibes it gave off were indescribable. _

_Suddenly it stopped. A lone figure stood where the darkness was moments ago. _

_I gasped. It was…me. Dark, deadly, vicious, wild, and uncontained. An exact copy, but so much more sinister. She _was _the darkness. I felt myself shaking violently. Terror and fear replacing any emotion that I was feeling moments ago. She came closer and I started to panic. I couldn't go anywhere. I was trapped and cornered. _

_She laughed. "You're not going anywhere." Her voice was sinister and malicious. She came closer and closer, and suddenly she was right in front of me. She looked at me as if contemplating how to go about this. She grinned wildly, and the next thing I knew I was falling back. _

_I tried to scream. I really did…but nothing came out. I plunged straight into the dark black water and I felt it fill my lungs. I couldn't move. My body was frozen, and there was nothing I could do. I had to accept this fate, I would never see the light of day again. I felt lightheaded…my vision fading…my life ending…_

Tears were streaming down my face, and I could stop the sobbing that consumed me. Why? Why couldn't I be at peace, even in my dreams? I felt so weak. All I wanted to do was die. But…I knew I couldn't. I made a promise, and I wasn't going to go back on it.

I got out of bed and went into the bathroom. I stepped into the shower and turned on the cold water. I was always still in shock from the dream every morning, and the cold water helped. I stayed in there longer than usual. Did everyone really think that? Is that what was on everybody's mind? I felt the tears again, but this time I didn't fight it…I just let it out. My back was on the wall and I slid down. I, Leah Clearwater, one of the toughest girls and one of the toughest werewolf in La Push, was now sobbing in the shower, thousands of miles from home. I must have really been a horrible person in a past life. I mean, _really_ horrible.

The tears finally stopped, and I got up from my spot in the shower and wrapped a towel around my cold, wet body. I went into my bedroom and pulled out some shorts and a tank top (all thanks to Genevieve for buying me clothes). I got dressed and headed outside. I hoped I didn't stay in the shower too long.

"Sit down." I sighed inwardly. It was going to be one of those days apparently. I really hated it when it was one of those days. Genevieve would push me past my limits, and it was on those days that the dreams were more intense.

I couldn't really complain though. For the past few months, Genevieve's taught me so much, yet it always seemed as if I wasn't getting any better. Everyday it would be a different lesson, never spending too much time on one. The idea was, the more varied the training lessons, the more I'd have to force myself. It was really starting to take a toll on me, but I didn't stop or slow down. I couldn't.

"All right, now concentrate. Hold onto my voice, and block out everything else around you. Focus." I let everything around me fall away. I felt vulnerable, but nothing would happen to me.

"Focus. When you phase, you have a moment in which you feel the wolf takeover, but you quickly suppress it and you're in control again. You have to stop suppressing it, Leah. That's the only way that you will have any chance to improve."

"_No, I…can't. It's dangerous. Letting the wolf take over…"_

"Be quiet. Don't argue. Do you want to get improve at all? Yes? Then stop wasting my time and do as you are told." Her voice was stern, hard…unfeeling.

I heard her sigh. "Leah…I can't be…nice, not when I'm trying to push you to a point that will make you surpass all of others. You are the smallest wolf, and you think yourself one of the toughest, but you are not. Believe me. Truthfully…they take pity on you, they pretend to lose horribly to you, they don't think that you are capable, and they think you are useless. Leah, I am trying to help you take that all away and prove them wrong. But for that to even happen, you have to embrace all the pain, the mental torture, and the most important thing…listen. One of your fatal flaws, dearest Leah."

"_That was…a lot to digest. I'm not going to lie to you. I…I'll try harder. I promise." _I couldn't describe how I felt. Pain, anger, remorse, and so many other emotions coursed through me. Oh, how I was going to prove them wrong. _All_ of them. They didn't know who the fuck they were messing with. Take it easy on poor Leah, huh? I growled.

Genevieve didn't even have to read my mind to know the conviction I felt. "Let's continue then. Concentrate. Leah, you will phase again, but this time you will let the wolf take over. Don't suppress it. I'm going to teach you one of the most difficult things you will ever learn, how to let the wolf take over completely but remaining in control of it at the same time. And before you begin doubting yourself, you have done it before. Our race proved it. You may not have realized it Leah, but you were going _faster_ than ever. Not fast enough to beat me though." She giggled.

"_Ask me to a race again in a few years then." _

"That I shall. Now, it's time Leah. Phase, and let yourself go."

I concentrated as much as possible. I felt that electricity go through me once again, but as I let the wolf take over, it didn't stop. It was so strong. I was being consumed by it, and at first I was afraid. But…it felt so…natural. It felt so…right. God, my senses were so alive, my body was on fire. There was something strange, though. Out of place.

_Leah…_

God, what was it? Something was wrong here. I couldn't place my finger on it, but there was something there that I couldn't ignore.

_Leah…_

I felt my body stiffen, but I didn't know why. What was going on? What the hell was happening? I couldn't escape this feeling, and I felt my anxiety starting to build. I wanted to run. I wanted to hunt. I wanted…to _kill_.

_Leah…_

Ouch. Something felt broken, but my mind felt so clouded that I couldn't register where the pain was coming from. Actually, I could barely register any pain at all. I felt the panic rise, and all I wanted to do was hide, run, and kill. I felt so tired all of a sudden. My mind was finally clear, but my vision was fading. The last thing I remember seeing was Genevieve's pain stricken face, worry etched into her angelic face. It…it didn't suit her. I tried to lift my hand to smooth the worry away from her face, but…my body felt so heavy.

And then…I didn't feel anymore.

* * *

Genevieve's P.O.V

In a matter of a few seconds, Leah had phased and the wolf had taken over. She seemingly did not acknowledge my presence and that began to worry me a tad. Her mind was clouded and I could not reach out to her. At that moment I knew this was not going to end well.

"Leah…concentrate. You must gain control. Leah…"

No response.

"Leah…"

And then her eyes locked onto mine. I gasped at what I saw. They were so dark, cold, and animalistic. This creature that stood before me was not Leah anymore. Her eyes held a murderous intent that could greatly rival mine. She took a step forward, but I stood rooted in the same spot.

"Leah…"

She took another step forward, and I barely had time to react when she came charging at me. She had become startlingly faster. I dodged and weaved, but she was relentless. I had to somehow tire her out, but it looked almost impossible. She never faltered, not one step. I was starting to become very concerned. Her mind was still clouded, but I was able to pick up on some things. Leah was confused and did not know what was happening. She wasn't in control of her body.

Eventually, we arrived at the same clearing from the race. I tried to formulate some type of plan, but it was becoming increasingly difficult. My own instincts were telling me to turn and kill Leah. I _was_ a killer after all. We were circling each other, and then I couldn't fight it anymore.

Leah tried to charge at me, but this time I pounced back. I bared my teeth and growled at her as she imitated by actions. I flew at her and slammed her body into a large rock on the other side of the clearing. She slashed at me, but was never able to hit me once. I was too much for her to handle and the next time that she tried to slash at me, I took her arm and broke it. Just for safe measure I broke the other one as well. But that didn't stop her, or me either. She bit into my arm and using her body weight, she threw me straight into the ground and attempted to bite at my neck. I grabbed her by the neck and turn her over and started to attack her relentlessly.

I should have stopped…but I couldn't.

In an instant, Leah had phased back. I could hear her thoughts, but they were fading. I was horrified at what I had done. "Leah! Stay awake! PLEASE! LEAH!" I screamed at her, but she did not hear a word. She looked so peaceful and her last thought was why I looked so worried.

And then…she was unconscious. I picked up her broken and fragile body, trying not to make it even more uncomfortable for her and ran to the cabin. I was panicking and I wasn't thinking clearly. If she was human, Leah probably would have died before I was able to get home, but thankfully her being a werewolf gave me a few hours. I had to do this. If not...

I grabbed my phone from the kitchen counter and dialed the number. "Don't talk just listen. I need you to leave right now and come to Maine. Don't tell anyone where you are headed, just get here. Plane's take too long, just run." I sighed. "Please hurry. Leah needs your help, Carlisle."

Hours later, Carlisle had tracked down the cabin and I guided to where Leah laid unconscious. His eyes widened when he saw what condition Leah was in, but he said nothing as he got to work on healing her wounds. A few of her bones had set, and so he was forced to break them again and set them properly. God, it was a horrible sound. If she had not been unconscious, the screams that she would have emitted would have made anyone think that someone was killing her.

Carlisle had finished and left Leah to rest. I knew I was going to have to explain myself, and sure enough I did.

"You're lucky that you didn't kill her. She has some pretty serious injuries." He sighed, but then continued. "I…I rarely question your judgment, but are you sure she can handle this Genna? Out of all of them, can you really be certain that _she_ is strong enough? Are _you_ strong enough to handle this?" He looked at me, eyes full of concern.

I turned to him and spoke honestly. "I'm not sure…Not matter what I say, she will not leave, you must understand. She wants this, and she will work harder than anyone to prove herself. Leah…Leah has what the others don't. She has this drive that will get her everywhere, but she doesn't know how to utilize it. I think she is more that capable, Carlisle. I, on the other hand, am not so sure that I will be able to handle this. But…I'll try. I suppose the student will also be teaching the teacher." I smiled sadly at him and he simply nodded.

Leah woke up the next day and was surprised to see Carlisle there. She wondered if this meant that she was back in La Push, but we told her that she was still here in the cabin in Maine. She then began to panic asking is he was there to take her back, but Carlisle simply laughed and smiled at her, reassuring her that she could stay if she so chose to. And she did. I explained to her what had happened and she apologized. I smiled at her and told her that I was the one who should apologize. She told me not to feel guilty or to blame myself, but I did. What else would I feel? Shortly after that she went back to sleep and Carlisle said that he would stay here for at least another week or two and look after her.

"Carlisle, I wonder what it was that you told Esme? I mean, I am quite certain that you did not just leave her in the dark…or did you?" It had been five days after the incident and I wondered how the Cullen family had not appeared on my doorstep.

"I did not mention that I was here or that you and Leah were here with me, if that's what you mean. I simply told her that an old friend needed me for a few days and not to worry. As you can imagine, she probably guessed the truth."

"That does worry me somewhat. I wanted to stay here for another month or two, but I suppose now we must leave." I sighed. I did in fact think we would be able to stay here longer, but when you live with someone like Edward, certain plans must change.

"I see. I'm guessing that you won't divulge that information to me because of Edward."

I nodded. "She can not have any distractions. If the information of our location got back to her mother or her brother, they would surely seek her out. This would throw months of lessons and training down the drain."

"Genna, how _long _are you going to train her?"

I looked out the window and sighed. "If she starts to progress better, 4 maybe 5 years. If it becomes a very slow process, then I don't know what to tell you. The former seems to be more accurate, though. Learning to control the wolf within her will be the most difficult thing."

"Well, I only hope that next time you engage in one of these training sessions, you will not need me." He smiled warmly at me.

I giggled. "No, I shall be more prepared for the next time, I give you my word."

Leah appeared in the doorway then. She looked significantly better. All her cuts were gone, and the only thing that still needed a few more days to heal was her right arm. I had broken her right arm in about six or seven places. Guilty was not a strong enough word to describe how I felt.

"Umm…er…h-hi. There wouldn't be any…umm…food by any chance would there? I'm kind of hungry…" Leah looked at her hands as she said this. She was blushing quite noticeably. Carlisle and I stared at her for a moment and then at each other before laughing. She seemed to have turned even more red at our laughter.

"Leah! Don't be embarrassed. It's just that you had some really serious injuries that would have killed a normal human, and yet here you are, standing in the doorway, hungry. You must see the humor in this?" Carlisle gave her such a warm smile that Leah smiled back and joined us, laughing. Leah and Carlisle stayed sitting in the living room while I made something for Leah to eat.

"Dr. Cullen…umm…if you don't mind me asking, how is everyone?" Leah looked so nervous asking this. Carlisle picked up on what she was really asking however. He was struggling on whether to tell her the truth or simply say that everyone was fine.

I decided that it would be better for him to just tell her. Carlisle was such a terrible liar sometimes. "Carlisle, you can tell her. I think she deserves to know." Leah looked at me with surprise.

"Well then, Leah you must know that everyone is doing quite well. There have been no threats made to anyone. Mostly, things have been pretty quiet. However, everyone does miss you quite a bit. Seth has been very distraught since your departure. Jasper has to throw a lot of calm and happiness his way anytime he comes around. Edward seems to miss you as well. A bit surprising to me really. I knew that the two of you were getting along better, but not to the point that he would miss you. Nessie asks where you are almost everyday. Rosalie, Alice and Emmett miss you greatly. Sam has visited quite a few times to ask if we knew anything about your whereabouts. He does seem genuinely worried. Your mother is quite the mess. She's been spending more time working, or at least that's what your brother's thoughts reveal."

"I see…" It was barely a whisper.

"Oh, but out of all of them, Jacob seems to have taken it the worst. He isn't the same really. Around Nessie, he tries to be as happy as possible, but even she can tell that it's forced. He's been very reserved and doesn't show that excessive happiness and carefree nature of his. It's been quite concerning." Leah was in complete and utter shock. I knew she was not expecting this at all. She opened and closed her mouth, as if trying to think of something to say.

I giggled. "Your food is ready Leah." She looked at me with bright eyes, and I could have sworn that she skipped to her seat at the table. I gave one last look at her and then return to my previous seat. Carlisle and I looked at each other once more before laughing again. Leah glanced at us and smiled happily.

Leah was happy that Jacob did seem to miss her and truly care for her, to the point that not even his imprint, his _soul mate_ could make him happy. However, what would she do with this information? She was focusing her thoughts on the food, but I knew. I knew that she had a difficult decision to make. I only hoped that my dearest Leah could live with the one that she made.

* * *

**Whatever will Leah do? Don't know? Neither do I! Ha, just kidding. A little angsty chapter for both Leah and Genevieve, no? Oh and Genna is just a nickname that Carlisle has for Genevieve. Pronounce it like Jenna. XDD **

**Oh and this if for wynea76 to explain something from the last chapter: The smirking is just like Jacob's thing. Like when I think of Jacob he has a number of smiles, and one of the smiles he gives Leah most of the time is a smirk. You know, showing he's all cocky and Alpa-y on the outside, but all confused on the inside. That's just Jacob being Jacob with Leah.**

**Until next chapter!  
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	5. Ignorance is Bliss

**Disclaimer: I do not own Twilight or any of its characters. **

**A.N: Been a while huh? Sorry about that. Major case of writer's block. But I hope I can make it up to you guys with this lovely chapter. And I really appreciate all the reviews. XD Makes me happy. He he. So read on. Oh! And by the way, I drew a picture of Genevieve and the link is on my profile. I wasn't completely useless during my writer's block.  
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* * *

**Ignorance is Bliss**

Carlisle's P.O.V

"Leah, you seem to have healed quite well. Your bones have all set perfectly and you shouldn't have any problems."

"Thank you, Dr. Cullen."

"Please, call me Carlisle." Leah was such a curious young woman. So strong and capable, and yet fragile and emotional. Rosalie and Leah could have been twins. It's really no wonder that the two are friends. Leah and Rosalie really did have a lot in common, and it surprised me that Leah didn't confide in her the way she did with Genna.

"Oh…er…o-okay." Leah stuttered. I smiled at her and let her rest for the evening. I stepped out of the room and shut the door behind me. Genna was leaning on the doorway, looking out into the night sky.

She sighed. "I suppose you're going to leave now?"

"Well, there's no other reason for me to stay here Genna. If you still need some time to get things ready to leave, then I suppose I can stay for a few more days."

"Maybe it is better if she does go back, but…the situation has taken a turn for the worse." Genna suddenly became very serious. How bad could it have gotten?

"Drastically worse. I don't have the time to convince one of the others. She has to do this. I wish there was another way…maybe if I had more time. Carlisle, as always, you mustn't let Edward or Alice know."

I nodded. I was becoming increasingly worried. I looked back at the door that led to Leah's bedroom. I wished that the situation was different, that somehow everything wouldn't depend on her. She was our only chance, and she had no idea what her future held for her.

I glanced at Genna, and her eyes looked so distressed and troubled. "Leah will do fine, Genna. You're a great teacher and you will steer her in the right direction. I only hope that in these five years you will tell her. It's imperative."

"Of course. I know I must tell her, I am simply looking for the right time. If she's going to be turned into the perfect killer, eventually she will want to learn for what reason." She gave me a small smile and continued. "Let's change the subject, shall we? Would you like to see your family? I'm sure they are missing you quite a lot."

I nodded. "I do miss them."

"Take your pick then."

"Renesmee, Rosalie, and…Alice."

She giggled. "It seems you learned your lesson."

"Oh yes, I will _never_ pick the boys, _ever_ again."

She laughed and held out her hand. I took her hand in mine and closed my eyes. Renesmee seemed to have been walking towards the main house with Jacob in tow. They walked into the home and Seth was eating a mountain sized plate of food that my dear Esme prepared for him. Jacob was seemingly as hungry and quickly grabbed an equally proportioned sized plate.

Rosalie was next, and apparently she was sitting in the living room while Emmett was playing _Call of Duty _with Jasper. Judging by Emmett's exasperated look, Jasper must have been beating him. Renesmee entered the room and sat next to Rosalie and began to chat with her. Renesmee was wondering where I was and when I would be back. Rosalie assured her that I would be back soon and not to worry.

Suddenly I saw Bella and Edward, and I knew that it was Alice's turn. Alice seemed to have a vision and was talking to Edward and Bella about it. The vision was about me returning in a few days, and I got slightly worried that they would know from where. Alice then told the two of them that she couldn't see much, except that she saw me arrive back home. I felt so relieved at hearing this. I could only imagine the chaos that the information of my whereabouts would ensue.

I felt Genna's hand slip from mine and everything went black. I opened my eyes to see her crystal blue one's staring back. I gave her a warm smile and thanked her for allowing me to see them and assure myself that everything was well. She nodded at me and I noticed that it was almost morning.

"Leah! If you do not wake up soon, your food is going to be freezing cold!" Genna yelled. Leah stepped out of the room a moment later, muttering something along the lines of _'why couldn't you freaking let me sleep a little while longer.' _

"So…when are you leaving, um, Carlisle?" Leah asked me hesitantly.

"Well, seeing as you're perfectly fine, I suppose I can leave somewhere in the next two or three days." I smiled warmly at her and she nodded stiffly. Leah seemed to change at that moment. Her eyes betrayed her thoughts. She wanted to go back.

"Leah…" Genna called to her softly. Leah snapped out of her reverie and regarded her. "I am in no position to make you stay…and seeing as I've called Carlisle, our position is compromised, and so we must leave."

"Genevieve, I'm not going to just leave because of what happened. I'm going with you."

"Leah, you don't understand. Your training needs to get much more intense and it cannot be done here. If you decide to leave, we will be leaving North America. Depending on how well you are progressing we may be gone from five to ten years. You must understand that you will have no contact with anyone for that amount of time."

"Oh."

This was a difficult decision for her indeed. I looked at this young woman, and I wondered why fate was so cruel to her. The love of her life, Sam, was taken away from her when he became a wolf and imprinted on her cousin. She was then forced to become a wolf and hear the thoughts of her once true love, pining over the woman he left her for. As if to make matters worse, she was then forced to go through another cruel experience when Jacob, her best friend, imprinted on Nessie. She was once again alone, lost in her misery and the cruel reality of fate a constant reminder wherever she went. The mask that she had constructed was woven quite well and fooled those around her, but her eyes were another story. It would always be a quick flash, but I could see the hurt that they held whenever she saw all those around her happy and she being left alone.

"I…want to go. It's nice and all to hear that people miss me and that Jake misses me but…things change. It's not like he can fight the imprinting. He'd eventually forget about me and go back to Nessie. And then I couldn't handle knowing that I gave up this opportunity for disappointment." Her voice broke a few times and she looked down at her hands, smiling sadly.

We sat in silence for a while. I looked at Leah and saw that tears were threatening to spill. Genna stood up suddenly and puller her into a tight embrace. Leah, in turn, hugged her back and let the tears spill out.

Fate is but a cruel mistress.

* * *

Edward's P.O.V

Alice and I greeted Carlisle at the door, questioning him about his whereabouts. He attempted to veer off his thoughts somewhere else so that I wouldn't figure out the truth. However, when Alice questioned why she couldn't see him at all, I saw it. I saw Leah unconscious and Genevieve looking horrified and guilty. He then thought about right before he left and I saw Leah crying and Genevieve trying to comfort her. My eyes widened at the new revelation.

"Alice, could you please excuse us for a moment. I must speak to Carlisle in private."

She eyed me questionably but did not inquire as to why. "All right."

"Thank you."

As soon as she was gone, I led Carlisle to his study. I had to ask him what was going on and why I had seen Leah so injured. As if reading my thoughts Carlisle turned to me and sighed. "Edward, it's not what you think. She's fine, I promise you that. They were training and it got a little out of hand. Genevieve had to find a way to stop Leah and she was left severely injured. She called me to go and help and I did. Her injuries were quite extensive and so I stayed to keep an eye on her."

"I see. So, they are in Maine? Well, I would have thought that they would have left the country and gone to Canada."

"Yes, well, they have left Maine. Left the continent and Genevieve refused to tell me where."

"Yes, I can see that as well." I began to wonder whether I should tell the _mutt_ about these new occurrences. He'd probably let his temper get the better of him and reprimand as to why we could just let her leave without doing anything. Before Leah left, I was actually beginning to like her somewhat. She wasn't as bad as all the others said she was. There was that hostility, of course, but it couldn't be helped really. It was her instinct to hate us, and she had other reasons. There was a time when she blamed us for all her pain and misery. If it hadn't been for us being here, Sam wouldn't have phased or imprinted and she would be the happy girl she once was. Those thoughts had soon left, however, when she began to come to terms with what she was. She started to visit more often and would spend time with Rosalie and Alice. Leah didn't particularly like my Bella but tolerated her all the same.

Leah and I began to talk to each other every so often. She would ask me things about my past and asked me about my travels. I, in turn, would ask her about her life and everything she has gone through. She shared her pain with me but she would never let me in her thoughts. She had become quite skilled in hiding her thoughts and it annoyed me somewhat but I could understand why she did it. She needed time of her own. As a wolf, her thoughts would be there for everyone to hear and around me it didn't matter if she was a wolf or not. Leah was a very interesting person, one that made me wonder so much about her. I suppose that's why we became close. She reminded me, somewhat, of Genevieve.

"You should probably tell him, Edward. It would be better that he hears it from you, rather than detect the scent of Leah and Genevieve. It would be safer for all of us and himself if he heard it from you." Carlisle turned and walked out of the study. I sighed, realizing that he was right. The moment he caught her scent, there would be no stopping him. Remembering that Renesmee was hunting with the _mutt_, I headed out to inform him of the news.

'_I could really go for a hamburger right now.'_ Jacob thought. I rolled my eyes at the thought. Was he always thinking about food? I mean, really. I tracked him through his thoughts and found that they were both in a clearing close from where I was.

"Done yet, squirt?" Jacob asked.

"Yes. I think I would rather stick to bear, however. These deer are not rather appealing." Renesmee responded.

I stepped into the clearing and Renesmee turned and acknowledged my presence. "Hello father. I hope that we were not taking to long."

"Not at all, my dear. I need to speak with Jacob for a moment. Why don't you find your Aunt Alice and Rosalie and ask them to go somewhere today?" I smiled warmly at my miracle. She nodded and headed off in the direction of the house.

"So…what'd you want to talk about?" Jacob said bored.

"Well Jacob, as you know, Carlisle left two weeks ago to go tend to some friends."

"Yeah, so? Is that what you wanted to talk to me about?"

"No. Carlisle returned today and it seems that the _friends_ he went to go visit are actually _friends_ of yours." I tried to guide him towards what I was implying but he only became more confused.

'_What? The fuck are you talking about Cullen?'_ Jacob thought.

I sighed. "Jacob, there's no easy way to say this but you should know that the _friends_ he went to go visit were Leah and Genevieve…" Immediately his bored expression was gone and his body went rigid. His body started shaking and I took a few steps back, trying to put some distance between us. His thoughts were all over the place and I was worried at what he was going to do. What came shocked me, to say the least.

Jacob slumped down to the ground and began to cry. I stared at him in shock. I could not believe what was happening right in front of me. He was the Alpha of one of the Quileute Tribe packs, he had battled countless number of newborns, he had been there ready to fight the Volturi, and yet here he was, sobbing not but 3 feet in front of me.

"Jacob…"

"You know, she's always been a bitter bitch. When we were in Sam's pack, she made all our lives a living hell. Constantly filling all of our heads with images of Sam and shit like that. She would constantly bash on me when I was in love with Bella. She always looked down on me as if I was nothing to her, as if I was below her really. She was _the_ bitch. She really earned that title in our eyes. But, she got better. After Nessie was born, she started smiling more and she actually looked happy. I didn't think that, a year later, she would leave without telling anyone why. I…I miss her, a lot. I feel kind of stupid for it, though. If she knew I missed her, she'd probably bitch at me saying that she didn't need me worrying about her and that she could take care of herself. She's always been independent in that sense." Jacob was choking back tears. He looked so broken and defeated. This was definitely not the reaction that I was expecting.

"She is happy, you know. They are both doing quite well and will be back before you know it. She just needs some time away from here." I lied. I knew that they would be gone for at the least five years. The letter she wrote to her family told them she was going to be gone for a couple of years, but right at this moment I had to give him some hope that she would be back sooner than that.

Jacob calmed down before speaking again. "Really? Is she coming back early?" He looked so hopeful and there was actually some glimmer of life in his eyes. "That is what they are planning to do, according to Carlisle's thoughts." I lied again, but this time I felt myself flinch as I said that at the amount of hope and happiness that I saw in his eyes. I could not stay there a moment longer and I made up an excuse that I needed to help Carlisle with something. As I returned home, the guilt I felt was overwhelming. I may not have necessarily liked the _mutt_, but that didn't mean I had the right to bring his hopes up with such a terrible lie.

Jasper came into the room and pleaded with me. "Edward, could you please try to calm down? All this guilt is killing me. I swear, if I were human I'd probably be in a corner somewhere bawling."

"I'm sorry." I told him. He merely nodded at me and went upstairs. I couldn't help but feel that my words had a double meaning to them.

I looked outside and sighed. Out there, a wolf boy was holding onto false hope.

* * *

Leah's P.O.V

It was somewhere around midnight when we arrived. It was so strange compared to the Washington and Maine. The clothes, the language, and just about everything really. I felt a bit nervous about being here. I don't really adjust to change all that well and this was a huge change. I looked up and saw the sign of our new home.

_Welcome to Thailand_

"It's quite different isn't it? But I promise that you will like it here. It is such a different experience and you will learn a lot about this culture and all its aspects. Do not worry, dear Leah. You will like it."

"I hope so. So, um…where are we going exactly?" I was actually really curious as to how we were going to live in Thailand. Where would we go and what I would be learning? I mean, I'm pretty sure that we wouldn't have flown halfway around the world to do exactly what we were doing in Maine. Well, at least I hoped that we weren't.

Genevieve giggled. "Leah, do you really think I would do that? Please have a little faith in me. I haven't gone completely insane, yet. And to answer your first question, we are going to go live and train with an old friend. He and I will assess how well you are progressing and see what we need to work on with you."

"Oh. So, is this 'old friend' a vampire by any chance?" I had to admit that I was pretty curious. I didn't really know if I could handle being taught by a vampire. I mean, Genevieve didn't smell like one so I was okay with her, but vampires just have a horrible smell and I don't think I could concentrate. Whenever I was with the Cullens, I would get a really bad headache that would last for _hours_, and no matter what I took it wouldn't go away. I nearly swallowed a whole bottle of Advil one time and it didn't help at all.

"No, not at all. He's human." I stood there shocked for a moment and stared at her with my mouth open. Human? I was going to be taught by someone _human_? Wait, Genevieve said 'old friend'. What? But she doesn't age…and he's human…I…what?

Genevieve sighed. "Leah, he knows what I am. I have entrusted a number of humans with my secret and I trust them completely. They are a select few, and you will meet them all. They will be your teachers as well and I expect you to treat them with respect."

She took my hand and led me outside. She told me that we were going to run instead of driving to our destination. We walked first until we got to the edge of the city and we had the dark to hide us. I was worried about phasing in a strange new place that I didn't know anything about. I had to follow close behind and I prayed that no one would see me. Genevieve was way faster than me and wouldn't be seen. I, on the other hand, was fast as hell, but there could be a possibility that someone could see me. I wasn't exactly small and petite as a wolf.

"If you want, I could carry you. I would not mind and we probably would get there faster."

I thought about her suggestion for a moment and agreed. It was our safest bet. When she took off, I kind of almost regretted agreeing to this. She was fast, _insanely_ fast. I'm a werewolf and everything and I love speed, don't get me wrong, but she was _ridiculously _fast. I got used to it after the first few minutes as she swerved and dodged through the landscape. It was all a blur, really. I couldn't see anything because everything blended together. It was as if somebody took a bunch of paint, dumped them all in a spinning bowl, and let them all mingle on their accord.

Suddenly we stopped. I looked around but I couldn't see anything that could remotely resemble a house or civilization for that matter. From the looks of it, this area of Thailand looked like no human had ever set foot on it. Genevieve let me down from her back and I investigated a little. I phased, not caring about my clothes, and started to take in everything. I sniffed the air, but I couldn't detect anything that was human. I focused my eyes and ears and I couldn't detect anything human either. What were we doing here?

'_I hope this wasn't all a plan to suck up all my blood and leave my body and make everyone think I was never going back. If it was, I've got to say it was pretty ingenious.' _I joked.

She rolled her eyes. "Oh yes Leah, that was my plan all along. How in the world did you guess? But I suppose now that you've caught me, we must battle to the death."

'_Well if this isn't my unforeseen doom, then what the hell are we doing here? I don't smell anything human or see anything that is civilized either.'_

"You'll see."

Genevieve raised her hand and tapped her fingers on an invisible wall. I looked at her strangely wondering if she had finally lost it. She shot me an annoyed glance and told me to look carefully. I sighed and did as I was told. I stared at the space she was standing in moments ago, and what I saw almost made me faint right there. As if out of thin air, a huge temple appeared. It kind of looked like that temple in the first _Tomb Raider_.

"Ugh, please do not compare this temple to that one. It is nothing alike." Genevieve rolled her eyes at me and moved forward into the once empty space. I stayed rooted to where I was, not sure if I should go after her. She flew up the stairs and went inside and _that_ was when I could smell the scent of a human. Interesting. She came back outside and laid some shorts and a tank top on the ground. Guess it was time to change.

"Yes, and please hurry. Just follow my scent and you'll know where to go. I shall be waiting." Genevieve left once again and I quickly grabbed the clothes and went behind a tree to change. I was kind of annoyed at the fact that the shorts Genevieve left me were just a tad bit too short, but I tried to ignore it and ran up the stairs. Once I was up there, I sniffed the air, trying to pick up her scent. When I picked it out, I ran in that direction. It was hard to see in the darkness but I just let my other senses guide me. When I emerged out of the temple, I saw an enclosed area that was apparently in the middle of the temple.

"Good job, Leah. You let your senses guide you perfectly. I'm proud of you."

"Thanks."

"Leah, all the fun and games stop here. From this point on, we have to focus on the task at hand. You have to advance to a point that could most likely surpass me. You must understand the repercussions of this, however. You will have to get to a point where almost all of your humanity is gone."

"I'm going to become like you then?"

"To a certain extent."

"I see. Genevieve, I don't know if I can do this. My humanity is the last thing that makes me feel human. I've already lost everything else, do I really have to lose that too?" I couldn't bare to lose anything else. I wouldn't be human, I'd be…a animal, a wolf…a monster.

"Leah, you won't be losing it per say. You are going to learn how to be a ruthless killer when you have to be, and for that to happen you have to lose your humanity in those moments. You cannot be afraid that you are going to kill someone, you cannot think about the consequences, you cannot think about how the opponent is feeling, or anything like that at all. You have to let it go and let your instincts guide you. It is imperative that you learn this."

"Why? Why is this so important Genevieve? Why are you pushing this so hard?" For the last few months, Genevieve had been so strict when it came to the training. She would push and push until I couldn't anymore. There was something going on and I could feel it.

She seemed hesitant, as if this was something that she wasn't sure I could handle. I had to know. I wasn't going to stay here if I didn't know what the hell it was for.

"Leah…I…I hope you won't be mad at me. There was no one else Leah. You were the only person for this, but I am sorry that I wasn't able to tell you sooner. I suppose now is the right time to tell you…"

Since I was young, I've had to deal with a lot. When Seth was born, I had to deal with the fact that my parents love would be divided between the two of us. When Sam left me, I had to deal with the pain of losing my one true love and the fact that no one seemed to blame him. When my father died, I had to deal with the pain that it was all my fault. When I became a werewolf, I had to deal with the fact that I was the only female werewolf in the tribe's history. I've had a lot of things to deal with, things that go beyond the already aforementioned situations.

Another burden to be placed upon my shoulders and this time I didn't know if I could deal with it. But I'd never know if I never tried. I, Leah Clearwater, was not one to give up or back down so easily.

* * *

**He he. Oh yeah, Thailand! Lol. Pretty random huh? But anyways, yes! Genevieve has another purpose for Leah's training, but...I'm not going to reveal that just yet. Oh and in case some of you were confused on Genevieve's two other gifts I shall explain:**

**1. Genevieve has a gift of basically projecting herself into other people's minds and she can see what they see and she does the whole Nessie thing with the touching and showing of images. But it's one gift. **

**2. Genevieve can create barriers that are somewhat like illusions. The temple was in this barrier but when you looked it was transparent and if you walked throught the area you wouldn't just smack yourself into the barrier, you'd basically move through it.**

**So, hope you guys liked it. I'll be getting to work on the next chapter now. TTFN! Don't forget to check my profile for the link to Genevieve's drawing!!!!!!!  
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	6. When the Light Died

**Disclaimer: ****I do not own Twilight or any of its characters. **

**A.N: Okay, so some people were wondering if I was going to write through the five years but I didn't. I was really debating whether I should and then Seth's angsty p.o.v came to mind so I went with going from there. I really liked it so I wanted to keep it. BUT! I promise that I am going to include flashbacks about her training and things such as that. I promise! **

**But yeah, Seth in this chapter is majorly OOC, but I was thinking about it this way: Seth lost his dad and now his sister. Leah lost all happiness so Seth had to be like her sort of light in a dark room. Seth has all these emotions that have been bottled up and has no outlet for them. So one day he snaps and he just lost all reason to be his happy little self.  
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**When the Light Died**...

_Five years later…_

Seth's P.O.V

"Seth, get your ass up! Come on, Jake's calling."

"Quil, Embry, get the fuck out of my room. I don't care what Jake says, tell him it's too fucking early for a meeting." I groaned. It's been 5 years and some change since Leah left. I gave up being the optimistic prick I used to be. I didn't find a reason for it anymore. About two years or so after she left, I started caring less about everything and I guess I kind of started to act like Leah, being bitter and not giving three shits about what everyone else does, says, or thinks. Around my mom, I was pretty respectful and around Charlie and Billy too, but everyone else was unimportant to me.

"Seth, come on. Just come by quick and you can go back to sleep or whatever the hell it is you want to do." Embry tried to reason with me, but I seriously could have cared less. I shot him a glare, one that would have rivaled my sister's. He cringed a little and told Quil that it was useless and they left. I should have felt relieved that they were gone, but instead I wanted them to come back and bitch at me some more. I wanted to _feel_, for once. I've become a shell of my former self and it was starting to scare me because…I was okay with that. I was okay with the fact that I wasn't me anymore, but a bitter, self-loathing, prick. On the inside I was…empty.

I got out of bed, not being able to fall asleep again. I pulled on some pants and a shirt and headed outside. The sun was shining brilliantly, and there were only a few clouds in the sky. There was a light breeze coming from the west that made the trees sway gently. It was a beautiful day and everything looked absolutely perfect, as if nothing could go wrong. I scowled. I hated these seemingly perfect days. It reminded me of how fucking horrible my life was and how angry I was at the turn of events. I ran to the cliff that still had the lingering smell of Leah. I sat down on the edge and began to think about how I turned out this way.

Jake was a good Alpha and everything and I felt like he seemed to share the pain of Leah's departure. I was glad that I had someone that could relate to how I was feeling and we could help each other; ironically that's what he and my sister went through when Bella was pregnant with the _leech spawn_. For a while, he shared with me that he had developed feelings for Leah and had relayed the scene when Edward told him that Leah would be back sooner. My spirits rose and I was feeling very optimistic about the future. My sister was going to be back and then her and Jacob would fall in love and Nessie would be fine with it and everyone would live happily ever after.

_God_, I was so _fucking_ naïve.

Fairy tale's do not exist. The prince isn't always there on time to save the princess. The princess doesn't always get her prince. I thought about how Leah was once the princess and I was the happy little brother who basked in her radiance. But, every fairy tale needs some type of drama or the princess wouldn't fit in her job description. Her loving prince was taken away from her by an evil spell and forced him to love a poor, beautiful peasant girl who would not know the consequences of loving the prince. The princess was then forced to become a horrible monster and I was given the same fate. We shared our grief, until another prince came to save us and showed us how our curse could be seen as a gift. Ah, but the prince had his own curse to bear, one that could not be broken so easily. He would be forced against his will to marry a creature as cold as ice and love her for eternity. The poor prince fought it as much as he could and revealed to the princess that he loved her and wanted to marry her. The princess felt elated and hope had begun to build up inside her and the curse was broken. The princess and I were once again return to our human forms, but the prince's curse was too strong. He apologized to the princess and creature of cold laughed as the prince could never escape her clutches. The princess wept and wept, until one day she could weep no longer. She took her own life, not being able to endure the one she was living and left me alone and empty for the rest of my days.

Yup, life fucking sucks. Leah didn't come back and Jake…I felt my body shake uncontrollably. I took a few breaths to calm down. I _hated_ him. But as much as I hated Jake, I couldn't bring myself to leave his pack. It was either stay with this asshole or go to the other asshole. They both fucked up my sister's life, which consequently ruined mine. Sam had imprinted on Emily and caused Leah an endless amount of heartbreak and misery. There were days that I couldn't stand to see my poor sister cry over the man who took her heart and smashed it into pieces. I tried to console her and tell her that she would be fine. I would spend countless hours letting her cry into my shoulder until she fell asleep, too exhausted to cry anymore. Sometimes, I would get angry at how my dad and Billy would try to tell her that she shouldn't blame Sam and she should try and get over it. At that time, they couldn't tell us about the whole werewolf imprinting thing, so I guess now that anger was unjustified, but still. My sister would listen to their words and she seemed to be thrown further into her despair.

But Jake…he hurt my sister more than he could ever imagine. Leah had come to terms with what she was and was actually happy for a while. The spark of life that once shone so brightly was coming back and my heart warmed every time I would hear her laugh. Everything was fine until that one day. He thought that I wouldn't see it and she thought I wouldn't know what she felt or what was going on. Ha! I saw it all. He kissed her and didn't even think twice about it. She waited around trying to figure out what to do and she almost killed herself because of him. Genevieve saved her, and I was thankful for that, but I felt like punching the crap out of Jake. Who the fuck did he think he was, getting her hopes up like that and then not saying one thing to her? God, it pissed me off just thinking about it. But, being the happy and optimistic douche bag that I was, I didn't do or say anything. It wasn't the fact that she left or the lie that Edward told Jake to try and make him happy again or what happened that day or any of that other crap that made me hate him. It was the betrayal. He _betrayed _my sister. He had told me that once she was back, _no matter how long it took_, he'd tell her everything and that he would love her no matter what the imprinting bullshit did to him. I was so happy when I heard that, really I was.

All good things must come to an end, however.

I was patrolling like any other night and it was pretty boring. I was getting pretty thirsty so I headed towards a stream that was near where I was. Even though I was thirsty, I wasn't in any hurry so I took my time and on the way I saw a pretty white flower that I thought might have been perfect for Nessie. I went to go pick the flower when I saw the most heart wrenching site I could ever lay my eyes on. There was Jake and Nessie, pressed closely together, lips moving in a heated passion. I snapped. I wanted to tear them both, limb from limb and leave their hearts for last. I wanted to save their hearts and decide what to do with them later. I wanted nothing more than to feel my claws rip into their flesh and hear the bloodcurdling screams that would fill the night air. I wanted to feel the blood spray on my coat as their lives were ended by my hand. Retribution for the crimes they committed against Leah.

But…I didn't. I just stood there and let the anger well up. I turned the other way and ran. It was all I could do. I dug my paws further into the ground, trying to gain more power. Finally I stopped. I didn't know where I was, and at the moment I didn't give a fuck. With the images still fresh in my mind, I howled. I winced at the sound, it was so full of _pain_, _hate_, and _betrayal_. I phased and I slumped to ground. I cried. For the first time since my dad's death I cried until I fell asleep. When I woke up, it was morning and the memories came rushing back into my head. I thought I was going to cry and feel angry until I passed out again, but all I felt was a pleasant numbness. I stumbled to my feet and looked around. I was somewhere in Canada, I knew that for certain. I couldn't phase right then because I knew that everyone would be phased and my thoughts weren't collected. They would know everything and I couldn't have that. I remembered that I had shorts tied to my ankle and I untied them and put them on. I may have been human, but my senses were still pretty much wolf. I followed my own scent and ran back home. I had to stop every once in a while, but I refused to phase. I got home about a day later and my mom had some choice words for me but I didn't care.

After that day, I started to become cold and unfeeling. I didn't phase for about a week and a half and the others were getting worried about me. I didn't say a word to any of them. I tried my best to keep a happy façade for everyone so that no one would think nothing about me not phasing but it didn't last for long. Jake came around to see me and I couldn't keep up the lie anymore. I didn't tell him why I wanted to rip him to shreds, I just told him I blamed him for Leah's departure and that I could care less about him. He was taken aback by my words and tried to reason and that's when I almost lost it. I screamed at him to stay back. He left, shaken up by my reaction and words. I let my happy façade fall, and I had become the empty shell I was now. Everyone around me compared me to Leah, and that made me smile bitterly. I felt like I was doing her proud. My mom started to worry about me, but she never said anything. I stopped going over to the Cullen home. That _half-leech_ took everything from me, and if I saw her I probably wouldn't have been able to control myself.

I stood up and looked out at the waves. "Once upon a midnight dreary, as I pondered weak and weary…" I couldn't help but think of Poe's "The Raven" at that moment. The first line pretty much summed up my feelings for the moment.

I was tired, tired of all the bullshit. I was starting to get tired of living like the zombie that I had become. The past five years had brought me nothing but pain, and all I wanted was for the pain to stop. I wanted to live and feel again. I laughed bitterly as I thought how much alike Leah and I really were. I wondered if I plummeted to the crashing waves and the jagged rocks below, if I would die. Could werewolves die? I probably would have regenerated before death came.

"Eh, what the fuck? It's better than trying to cut myself." I got to the very edge of the cliff and spread my arms and was about ready to jump when I heard a rustling noise behind me. I took a step back and looked to see who could have possibly stopped me from finally getting what I wanted. A chance to feel.

"That's a pretty shitty way of going about doing it, don't you think baby bro?"

"L-Le-Leah?"

Out of the shadows, stepped out the last person that I thought I would ever see. It had to be an illusion. I had to be going crazy. Leah was gone and no one had known anything about her for these past five years. Sometimes I would stay phased for a few days to see if I could hear her thoughts, but it would always be the same thing. Nothing. She couldn't be here, standing at the edge of the woods in front of me. I took a step forward and in the blink of an eye she was directly in front of me. _What the fuck?_

"It's really me Seth." She sounded the same and it looked like her, but I couldn't believe it. I cupped my hand to her cheek and she smiled so warmly at me. She was definitely warm enough. This couldn't be an illusion. This was her. This was my sister. It really was Leah. I couldn't control my emotions anymore and I embraced her, fearing that if I let go, she'd disappear.

"Shh, Seth. Calm down. Shh…"She hugged me tightly to her and let my cry on her shoulder. I cried until I thought my body was going to dehydrate. I was so…_happy_. I was actually happy. It dawned on me that the empty feeling that I've felt for so long was gone. I was actually _feeling_. I heard her trying to calm me down and I pulled back to see her face.

"Where have you been Leah? I've been so miserable without you. I'm not me anymore. Everything's gone to shit. I thought you were never coming back home and I was going to be stuck in this fucking hellhole for the rest of my life, just to see if one day my sister was going to come back." I was choking back fresh tears that were planning to spill. She had such a pained look on her face at what I had told her. I saw the tears forming in her eyes and she hugged me tightly once again, letting my head rest on her shoulder.

"I'm so sorry…" She whispered softly. And there we stayed for God knows how long. Brother and sister. It was kind of funny when I thought about it. It used to be me who comforted her, and now it was the other way around. Actually, that's not right. Now, it's both of us comforting each other.

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Leah's P.O.V

I looked around at the sleepy town that was Forks. It looked so quiet and peaceful, its residents tucked in their nice warm beds, completely oblivious to the fact that the monsters that went bump in the night were real.

"My goodness, that has to be the most _cliché _statement I've ever heard in my life." Genevieve giggled.

"Oh shut up. That fit perfectly and you know it." I laughed. It was kind of strange being back. Forks hadn't changed at all, it was like stepping back into the past of some cheesy sitcom. We walked through the streets and headed towards the woods. I was glad that Genevieve's barrier would hide our scent and ourselves, to everyone else we were invisible. I kind of wanted to surprise everyone. I giggled at that thought. I hated surprises and here I was trying to surprise everyone.

"I think this one's tall enough."

"All right, let us go up then."

In an instant, Genevieve and I were settled on the highest branches that would support our weight. From our position, we could see everything. Forks was in the distance and La Push as well, and I could faintly make out the Cullen home. I was finally back home.

"How do you think everyone will react to your sudden appearance?" Genevieve asked me.

"Sad, angry, surprised, confused, and maybe some happiness." I could tell that my homecoming was going to stir up a lot of different emotions. Seth would probably be happy that I was back, my mom would be happy and mad, and there would be a lot of mixed feelings from everyone else. Everyone would want to know where I was and what I've been doing. I'd have to choose what I was going to say carefully. Those who knew nothing of the supernatural world I'm a part of would get an explanation that I decided to go off to college or something along those lines. It's not like I could say that I was living with a vampire goddess for five years, training with masters all around Asia. Nope, I had to come up with a lie people would believe. The others, however, would probably get a version of the truth. When the time was right, of course. They're as much involved in this as I was.

"Who is going to be your first victim, Ms. Clearwater?" Genevieve giggled.

"Seth. The kid should have the honors of seeing me first."

"My, my, aren't we all high and mighty?" Genevieve teased. I rolled my eyes and jumped off of the branch. I landed gently and perfectly on the ground below. Genevieve joined me a moment later, landing very much like a ballerina would. I picked up Seth's scent and strangely he was at the cliff. I shrugged and we ran in the direction of his scent trail.

When we got there, I saw my brother standing at the edge of the cliff with his arms spread out. Panic and horror began to spread through me as I saw what he was going to do. I stepped forward and he turned his head, apparently startled by the sound of the rustling. He took a step away from the edge of the cliff and the panic and horror subsided instantly. He was searching, looking for the source of the rustling when I spoke.

"That's a pretty shitty way of going about doing it, don't you think baby bro?"

"L-Le-Leah?"

I almost winced at the sound of his voice. It sounded so familiar, and yet so unfamiliar at the same time. Then it hit me. It sounded empty, broken, and lost. I had to be wrong. Seth's never sounded like that, ever. I stepped out of the shadows and Seth looked completely shocked. He looked like if he had just seen a ghost. I smiled at him and in the blink of an eye I was directly in front of him. He looked confused and shocked at my speed. Seth was definitely going to the first person to know _everything_.

"It's really me Seth." I tried to convince him it was really me. He slowly brought his hand to cup my cheek and I smiled warmly at him. That small gesture convinced him that it really was me and in an instant Seth embraced me so tightly. He was afraid. Afraid that I was going to leave again. I felt my heart pang at how I had discovered my brother about to commit suicide. I hugged him tightly, trying to show him that I wasn't going anywhere.

"Shh, Seth. Calm down. Shh…" I tried to calm him down. I hugged him tighter to me and let him cry on my shoulder. How ironic that a few years ago it was me crying on his shoulder. The sound of Seth sobbing was so heart wrenching. Before I left, Genevieve told me that they would worry and I knew that there would be an immense amount of pain, but I didn't think it would be this bad. I guess I was wrong. I whispered at him to calm down and that everything would be fine. Seth pulled back slightly and looked at me through bloodshot eyes.

"Where have you been Leah? I've been so miserable without you. I'm not me anymore. Everything's gone to shit. I thought you were never coming back home and I was going to be stuck in this fucking hellhole for the rest of my life, just to see if one day my sister was going to come back." I couldn't believe what I was hearing. My overzealous little brother, the one who annoyed me to no end with his constant optimism was…gone. I took a good look at his face and it, once again, looked so familiar and unfamiliar. Everything clicked in my head at that moment. He looked and sounded like…_me_. Seth had turned into _me_. I felt the tears stinging my eyes as the realization began to sink in. I pulled him tightly against me again, letting his head come to rest on my shoulder.

"I'm so sorry…" I whispered softly to him. Seth and I stayed like that for God knows how long. After what seemed like an eternity, I pulled back and wiped the tears from his eyes. I pushed the corners of his mouth up into a smile and laughed a little at the sight. Seth wiped the tears from my eyes and laughed a little. I felt so guilty. I left without him and now my little brother was gone. But I sure as hell wasn't going to let him stay that way. "Seth, how could you even think about doing this? What about mom? The pack? Jake? Me? Did you really think I wasn't coming back?"

He looked down, focusing on the ground. I lifted his chin so he could look at me. His eyes were full of pain and misery and I winced at what I saw. I felt more tears stinging my eyes, but I blinked them away. I waited for his answer. "Kind of. I…I thought that you just decided that the life you were living was better than coming back and you weren't coming back, ever. I've been so lost without you Lee. I hate everyone and everything. I'm so bitter and angry all the time and the emptiness has been eating away at me. I'm not me anymore. The old me is dead and buried."

"Well I guess we'll have to dig him out then. Seth, I'm so sorry. This is all my fault. I shouldn't have left you. Please forgive me." I was choking back tears. It wasn't too late for Seth and I sure as hell was going to get him back.

"Lee, I love you. Of course I forgive you. I don't blame you at all. Seeing you here is bringing back some of the old me." He laughed and smiled. I looked into his eyes and saw the pain and misery fading. It wasn't too late at all. If I had gotten here a second later, my Seth, my light, would have faded out of existence. Even though there were times that I wished he could have just let me be and go jump off this very cliff, he was always there for me when I needed him. In my time of need, he was always there and now I would be there for him. All I wanted to see was Seth's happy and smiling face again. I wasn't going to let the light die out.

"Thanks Seth. Come on, let's go walk somewhere. Genevieve, you can come out now."

"Umm…I didn't want to intrude on your conversation." Genevieve smiled sadly. She was worried about Seth's wellbeing as much as I was. Genevieve and Seth had grown close and were always happy to be around one another. She was one of the last people who wanted to see Seth like this.

"Hey blue eyes, what's up? Don't think I haven't missed you too." Seth smirked at Genevieve. Genevieve smiled back and walked with me and Seth down to the shore. We walked in the sand and sat down on a fallen long near some rocks. We sat in silence for a while as I thought of a way to explain everything to him. I suppose I had to start with the reasons that I left in the first place.

Seth broke the silence. "I wish you would have told me where you were going. You could have trusted me. _Both_ of you could have trusted me."

"It was completely and entirely my fault Seth. I told her not to tell anyone. I had to keep her completely focused and I could not have you or anyone else popping up at random moments. Seth, please forgive me." Genevieve looked at Seth and he smiled at her softly.

"I forgive you. I forgive _both_ of you. But I sure as hell have a shit load of crap to tell the both of you."

"Seth! Since when the hell do you curse?"

"Same time I started to give three fucks about life." Seth spat out.

"Well stop cursing. I don't want to hear another curse word out of you, got it? I'll kick your ass if I do." My little prick of a brother never cursed in his fucking life. Where in the fuck did he learn to have such a dirty mouth like that? Oh, wait…Ha!

"Anyways, should I go first or you? I'm pretty interested in hearing about everything you've been doing these past five years." I thought about it again and decided that it would be better to hear about what Seth's been going through to change him so horribly.

"You go first."

"All right. Brace yourselves, ladies. My story is not for the faint of heart." He finished dramatically. I laughed. The old Seth was still in there and it gave me hope that I could save him from a life of emptiness.

Seth began to tell us about the first year after I was gone. He told us how mom was trying to overcome her sadness with the happiness that she got when she was around Charlie. Mom would mope around the house whenever she was home and would cook and clean just to keep herself busy. He told me how Jake and the rest of pack was sad and without me there they didn't really have as much fun, which was pretty surprising. He told me that Quil and Embry missed being able to poke fun at their favorite girly wolf and how they really did miss me. Jacob was completely miserable and would try to occupy his thoughts with Nessie and patrolling. The Cullen's had also missed me quite a lot and Alice tried as hard as possible to see my future, but sadly couldn't.

The second year became a little more calm. Everyone still missed me the same, but everyone was beginning to think that when I returned I would be a different girl. My mom was getting even closer with Charlie and spent more time with each other and she was becoming really happy. Nessie was growing ever more lovely and looked around 13 or 14 years old. Jacob had become even more protective of her and he had apparently gone a little bit more depressed when I didn't return, but he tried to get over it. Quil and Embry were seriously starting to think about leaving for a month and going to go look for me but Seth told them not to. He told them that I need time and space and that I would return. Seth was still trying to be optimistic and ignored what some people said about me never coming back.

The third year was Seth's breaking point. He told us about the night of patrolling when he found Nessie and Jacob making out and he told me about how betrayed and angry he felt. Jacob had shared with him how he would wait for me no matter how long and that Nessie would understand that he loved me and her in different ways. Seth even told us what he wanted to do to them. It kind of disturbed me a little, but I knew it was out of love. Seth had been so angry he ended up in Canada and ran back home and didn't phase for almost two weeks. He became distant and angry with everyone after that.

The fourth year was even harder for Seth. He had to deal with his anger and still stay in the pack and be ruled under Jacob. Jacob had begun to stay out of Seth's way and would try to avoid him as much as possible. Mom was getting really worried about him and tried to talk to him but he wouldn't say anything and would pretty much respond that he was fine and she didn't need to worry about him so much. He was an adult and didn't need her to worry about another kid. He told her to be happy with Charlie and not to worry about him. Of course, she still worried though. Seth had stopped going to the Cullen's house and started to develop hate towards them. He started calling them _leeches_ and would go so far as growl at Edward. They got along _extremely_ well, so the shock was apparent on our faces when we heard that. Everyone thought I was long gone and definitely wouldn't come back. They all started these crazy stories that I was in some crack house or bumming around somewhere. Anytime Seth heard something like this, he'd get angry and threaten the person who made the comment. Everyone stayed away from him after that. Quil and Embry still stayed close to him because they didn't want him to be completely shut out by the world.

The fifth year was the year that he started to contemplate suicide. He wondered if we could kill ourselves or if our bodies would regenerate to quickly for that to happen. He had shut out the world and didn't know about what the hell anyone was doing and didn't care. He would take it upon himself to patrol the perimeters without Jacob even asking him to do it. Seth began wondering if he would ever learn how to feel and be alive again. He barely saw Jacob anymore and the only times he would is when Jacob would call a meeting and even then Seth refused. He told me that's what happened today and I laughed a little as he described a similar scene of what happened to me one time. He then told me that he planned to jump off the cliff for the past few days, wanting to see if he could die. If he did, then he would join dad and me. At the time, everyone thought I was dead and were thinking about a funeral for me.

"Seth…" I felt the pain well up inside of me and all I wanted to do was to take him out of here. I wanted to protect him from all the pain and hatred that was poisoning him. I wanted my innocent, naïve, carefree brother back. A tear fell down my cheek and Seth brushed it away. He gave me a warm smile and told me not to cry. Genevieve pulled both Seth and I into a hug and told us that we were family and there was nothing and no one who could tear such a sacred bond. We had to be strong and trust in each other. Seth told me that Genevieve was right and that I shouldn't cry now that we were reunited.

They were right. I had to be strong. My brother had let go of the strength he had long ago and I had to be strong for the both of us. My very presence was bringing the light back into him and I wouldn't let him get to that low point in his life again. Ever.

We laid in the sand for a while and looked up at the star filled night. Maybe it was just be, but those stars never looked brighter.

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**Emo-tastic? =[ I didn't really want to write Seth all emo and screwed up but it was necessary. Oh yes! The DRAMA! Jacob and Nessie! Didn't see that one coming now did you? Well probably you did. He he. More on that in the next chapter or the one after, promise. OH! And yes, you will FINALLY know what the hell Leah has been training for next chapter. Big sister's gotta explain everything to emo baby brother. **

**RxR please! XDD I'll love you long time! He he. Ciao! OH OH OH! And remember, Genevieve's drawing is in the link in my profile!!!!!!!  
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	7. Thou Shall Not Fall

**Disclaimer: I do not own Twilight or any of its characters. **

**A.N: Eeep! You guys must reeeeeeaaaallllly hate me huh? I'm sorry! It really has been a while hasn't it? Well, I've been thinking and thinking and thinking about the story ever since the last chapter. Sorry I haven't updated sooner. Writer's block, college, and anger kinda destroys stories. He he. Well I made this chapter extra long and completely in Leah's P.O.V. YAY! =D I'll be updating more regularly I hope. Enjoy!  
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**Thou Shall Not Fall**

Leah's P.O.V

"You know what we haven't done in a while?"

"No, what?"

"Swim." It's been a while since I've gone swimming. I remembered when I was about nine, I went to the beach with Seth and Jacob and I had to save both of them from a crab that had gotten too attached to them. They cried and screamed and I had to calm them down and pry off the little intruder from the two crybabies. Seth ran to mom and told her how I had saved them from the crab and she was proud of me and took all of us out to ice cream. Those were innocent and practical days, days when I didn't phase into a giant wolf when my emotions got the better of me. We used to be so happy back then.

"Are you insane, Leah? It's the middle of the night and the water is freezing." Seth said matter-of-factly.

I gave Seth an annoyed glare. "Seth, we are wolves and our average body temperature is always about 105. The fact that it's the middle of the night really has no relevance. So, with that said your counterargument has just been shot down."

"She has a point, you know. Come on, it'll be tons of fun. Let's make it a race!" Genevieve took my side and I knew that Seth was going to agree. Anything Genevieve said, he would do. I sometimes wondered if he had imprinted on her and refused to tell me. But, of course he didn't. He never had the goofy lovesick look on his face whenever he saw her.

Seth sighed and agreed reluctantly. We were to swim out 100 feet and back as fast as we could. We were forced to race in our clothes since we didn't have bathing suits with us, but it didn't really matter to me. As the race started, it was Genevieve in front, then Seth, and finally me. I couldn't let Seth beat me. I stroked as hard as possible and reached the 100 foot point and went back. We were neck in neck, but Seth looked like he was about ready to give up. I had to give it to the kid, he was getting pretty fast but not fast enough. It was the final ten feet and I was about six inches in front of Seth. And…it was Genevieve, me, and Seth.

"Man, that was awesome! This was a pretty good idea, Leah. Ugh, but now we don't have any dry clothes." Seth whined. He had a point. It was awesome and lots of fun, but we were soaking wet and that wasn't so much fun. I looked over at Genevieve and she had started a campfire and called us over to join her. The warmth that radiated from the fire felt so amazing on my cold, wet skin.

"Thanks Genevieve."

"No problem at all."

"So, Leah, you want to tell me about what the hell you guys have been doing?" Seth had been dying to know. I owed it to him to tell him everything.

"You can tell him. _Everything_. He needs to know. They all do eventually, but Seth is quite more important than they are." Genevieve giggled. Seth glanced at her and gave her a quick smile before returning his gaze to me.

"All right. Well, I'm not sure how you're going to take this but here goes nothing."

_We were in Thailand, in the hidden temple thanks to Genevieve. Beside her was a little old man who looked like a Buddhist monk. He couldn't have been the master that I was going to be training with, or was he? Genevieve was hesitating again. _

"_Leah, do you remember when the Volturi arrived in Forks?"_

_I tried to calm myself down as I thought of that day. I was so scared that I was going to lose everyone I loved. See, it wasn't the fact that they were going to kill us that had me worried, it was the fact that those _leeches_ were going to kill _everyone_ in Forks and La Push. Or at least anyone who had anything to do with the Cullens and the wolves. I was scared for my mom and Billy and Charlie. I looked over at Seth that day and thought about how young he was, and how he never had the chance to experience life. Seth didn't deserve to die because of the _half-leech_. _

"_Yes, I remember." _

"_Do you remember what they said when they laid their eyes on you and the rest of the pack? They wondered if it would at all be possible to control one of you and essentially be a 'guard dog'. They would have never been able to do that with any of the shape-shifters, however, they have achieved it with one of the true werewolves. They have a 'guard dog' of their very own now." Genevieve finished sadly. _

_I couldn't believe it. Those _leeches _had gained control of a werewolf? How was that possible? They were as much our enemy as they were their enemy. How could they allow themselves to become slaves to an enemy we both possessed? _

"_This werewolf is but a child, Leah. But they are turning her into a creature with nothing but evil in her heart. Her name is Amaris. The child was 'adopted' by the Volturi and she was eternally grateful to them for taking her in from a place of dread and despair. In seven months time, the Volturi brainwashed the poor girl into thinking that she had to do something for them to prove her loyalty and her appreciation. They told her that there was a way that she could prove her loyalty to the family. She quickly agreed to anything. Her biggest mistake. They infected her with the werewolf disease. At first, she was irate at the curse they had imposed upon her but they quickly began to show her how it could be seen as a fortunate thing. They have been training her to learn to control the beast and are showing her how to use the beasts power in her human state."_

_I was horrified. "She's just a child! How could they do this? Why are they doing this?"_

"_Leah, she's only the first one. As soon as they've molded her into _exactly_ what they want, they will create others. They will experiment with different age groups, sexes, ethnicities, and such. But Leah, Amaris is being groomed for a…special reason. The Cullens and the pack's have become a threat to the Volturi. They said that they would not return, but that was a lie. They are going to _kill_ everyone. The Cullen's, Sam's pack, Jacob's pack, the elders, and everyone else who they feel might be a threat, even if they know nothing of the world in which we live in. They have chosen to keep the date a secret from everyone and it's almost impossible to know when. However, the child is still too young and is not ready to handle such a task. They need time. Leah, you are the only one who has any chance of beating her. You have speed on your side which will be a deciding factor. You also have a sharp mind which will work to your advantage. Both of these skills that you already have make it easier to enhance your body and your mind."_

"_So…I'm being trained to beat her and kill her? Is that it?" Amaris shouldn't be killed. She was just a child who was brought into a world that she should have never known about. She could still be saved. Hell, if _Jasper_ could become a vegetarian, who says that this child couldn't be un-brainwashed?_

_Genevieve sighed. "I understand how you feel, but this child is too dangerous. She is being groomed to become a killer. Her instincts are being altered, and in the end she will be a threat to everyone. She's not in control and she never will be. What if she gets loose and starts attacking innocent people? Would you be able to handle knowing you let a threat like that out into the streets? You can only hit a puppy so many times before it turns on its masters. She has to die, Leah. And you will be the only one who can kill her. The others are too slow._

"_I could have chosen Jacob or Sam, but they wouldn't be able to go in for the kill. She would remind them too much of an innocent child, and they would think as you do, that she is only a child and does not deserve to be killed. She is a _killer_ Leah. She knows the taste of blood, she knows the smell of death, she knows what it feels like to take a life and not feel an ounce or remorse. She _enjoys _killing and would kill more if the Volturi allowed her. Do not insist on trying to save her. She cannot be saved, I promise you this. Leah, I need you to forget the fact that she is a child and treat her as an opponent. Life or death situation."_

_I didn't know what to say. Amaris and I were chosen to become killers. She, chosen to kill everyone I loved, and I chosen to kill her before she could kill those I loved. You would think I wouldn't have such a problem with this if I could kill _leeches_ so easily, but Amaris wasn't a _leech_. Amaris was still human. She had become a werewolf, but she was still human. Could I kill a human? Could I kill a child? It was a 'kill or be killed' situation, but I couldn't accept it. There had to be another way. With Genevieve's logic, then Nessie and Bella should have been killed as well. Bella was a newborn and unpredictable in every sense of the word. Nessie was a slightly different story. She preferred human blood but she was taught. The Cullen's taught Nessie not to hunt humans and eventually she became accustomed to animal blood. Couldn't this child be taught as well? Could she be reprogrammed somehow? Could the humanity that the _Volturi_ stole from her be infused with her spirit once again?_

'_She knows the taste of blood, she knows the smell of death, she knows what it feels like to take a life and not feel an ounce or remorse.' _

_No…there was no other way. This child had to die. She was destined to die, just as I was destined to kill her. Fate really had a horrible sense of humor. I looked up at Genevieve, my decision evident in my eyes. She nodded at me and told me that she would help me in this all the way. _

"_Now, I would like to introduce you to your new teacher. This is Master Kiet. We met many years ago when I was in Thailand for a year or so. There used to be a coven near here and unfortunately, they had caught Kiet for their, er, dinner. I had decided that he could did not deserve in such a way and so I freed him. He was forever grateful. He has agreed to do me this favor out of respect for me. Dishonor him and his teachings and you will be dishonoring me as well."_

_I looked at the man beside Genevieve and he looked so fragile. 'Don't judge a book by its cover.' If Genevieve chose him as a teacher for me then he must really have been something special. I nodded at Genevieve and focused my attention on Master Kiet. _

"_Child, you lack control. You will never defeat this great evil that plagues you unless you master your inner self. While you reside here, you will learn complete control over your inner turmoil, which will help you control the animal inside of you." Master Kiet surprised me with his grasp on English. In a way, it reminded me of the elegant and eloquent manner of speaking that Genevieve had. _

"_Focus." Genevieve growled. _

"_Come, child. We shall began with some meditation." I followed Master Kiet and sat directly in front of him. I closed my eyes and concentrated on nothing by his voice. "Now, child, you must let go of all your feelings and emotions. Let them course through you. Pain, misery, happiness, calmness, etc., let all of those emotions go through you."_

_I was reluctant but did as I was told. I remembered so many things. I thought back to some of my happiest memories with Seth and my mom and dad, I remembered the pain of when Sam told me he didn't love me anymore, I remembered the feelings when I ran alone and no one interrupted my thoughts. I felt myself on an emotional rollercoaster, everything was starting to rush in and I went from happy to sad to calm to depressed. It was almost too much. At any moment, I was going to phase and lose it. And then…nothing. I searched within myself but I didn't feel anything. I wasn't numb or anything like that. I felt…in control. I opened my eyes and saw Genevieve looking at me with an approving smile. _

"_Excellent. And you thought that the meditation was for nothing. Ah, but do not think that you have completely mastered your emotions. We have some work ahead of us, dearest Leah. But, I am confident that you will do fine." _

"_I hope so…for everyone's sake." _

Seth stared at me for a second with his mouth open. I could tell that all of this was probably a lot of information for him to digest. I hated that I had to do this to him, but he had to know what was going to happen. I looked at Seth. In my mind he was always going to be my dweeby baby brother, but in reality he wasn't. Seth was a full-grown man and no matter how much I wanted to protect him from everything, I realized I couldn't. But I had to try.

"Lee, I don't know what to say." Seth stared up at the night sky.

"I'm sorry. I wish there was another way, trust me Seth I do, but there isn't. I won't allow the child to live if it means sacrificing the one's I love. I am not going to let her take your life or mom's. I could have come back and saved you year's worth of heartache, but not at the expense of your lives."

"I know, Lee. Fate really is a bitch isn't she? Haven't we all suffered enough? Lee, you were such a vibrant person to be around once, a long time ago. You were the princess, Lee. You really were. And then those _leeches_ came around, no offence Genevieve, and our world gets turned upside-down. You became distant, cold, bitter and there were times that I couldn't stand it. I wanted to rip off that horrible mask of hatred and anger and see if the real Leah was under there. But then, you were becoming you again, Lee. You were finally shedding that mask when fate comes to screw you over again with Jacob. And again with this stupid werewolf chick that's coming to kill us all. When's it ever going to stop, Leah? When?" Seth's voice was breaking. I felt my chest tighten over all the emotions that Seth's voice held and the pained look that his face held. In that moment, Seth wasn't the man that he had grown to be, he was the baby brother that once needed me and depended on me for everything. Now, more than ever, Seth needed me.

I took Seth in my arms and held him reassuringly. Seth felt so much injustice towards all of the pain and misery I've gone through, but it was more than that. Seth and I once had a special bond that was stronger than any diamond. Everything I had gone through, slowly but surely, chipped that diamond away, piece by piece. Our bond was becoming weaker, and that was what Seth was going through, a separation from the only person that he felt was completely and utterly there for him. But I wasn't going to let that diamond be chipped anymore. Never again would I let anything come between me and my brother, probably the only person who was always there for me.

"Seth, we're going to make it through this, alright? Nothing is ever going to break this." I gestured to the two of us. "We're family Seth, and no matter what, that's something not even fate can get rid of."

He nodded at me and gave me a quick hug. "Let's go home. It's getting late and these clothes aren't drying up."

"Yeah, let's go. I wonder what mom's reaction is going to be when she sees me."

Seth laughed. "Me too. I'm sure it's going to be filled with yelling, crying, and 'if you ever do that again, I'm going to kill you'."

"Probably."

We treaded along the path back to La Push relatively slowly. I took in the scenery around me and marveled at the differences of La Push and all the places I've been. It was good to be home. I took in all the different scents and noticed that there seemed to be some new wolves as well. I was a little saddened by this.

"Hey guys, how come no one knows you're here? I'm pretty sure the moment someone caught sight or smell of you guys they would have been alerting the media."

"Genevieve put a barrier around us that makes us invisible, basically."

"Yes, I have extended the barrier to include you as well, Seth. We don't want anyone to think that you are talking to yourself, now do we?" Genevieve giggled. Seth laughed and agreed. It would be sort of funny for someone to see Seth talking to himself. I think they'd think he finally went insane.

"Guys, I've also been wondering, how come Alice hasn't seen anything about all of this? If this Amaris girl is like us, the Volturi wouldn't be visible to Alice and there'd be some major panicking coming from the _leeches_, but no red flags or anything has come up. And how is it that you know about all of this Genevieve?"

"Well, Alice has not been able to see anything because Amaris is not with the Volturi at the moment. When the decision was made to do this, the Volturi did it as a spur of the moment type of thing and quickly changed their minds again. It was all to throw off Alice. However, the moment the girl was 'adopted' they whisked her off to Sicily. Aro, Caius, and Marcus never see the child and so they throw off Alice even more. The child's progress is monitored by humans. Gianna was one of the humans who went to make sure everything was going according to plan, before she was killed. Amaris is taught by acquaintances of the Volturi and, luckily for me, one such acquaintance is a 'friend' of mine. Carlisle is the only one who knows about this and he has not uttered a word of this to anyone. We both had our reasons for that. They will all find out, soon. Very soon." Genevieve gave Seth a smile and Seth nodded back. I sighed as I thought about everything once again. _'…soon. Very soon.'_ Too soon, in my opinion.

We finally emerged and I saw my home. Home. How strange. We've moved around so much that I forgot what it was like to have a permanent home. Genevieve made sure to put a barrier around my mom so that I could make my grand entrance at another time. I wasn't ready for everyone to know I was back just yet.

"Nervous?" Seth asked.

"Somewhat."

I walked into the house and immediately heard a crash. I looked to the direction of the sound and saw mom standing there with a mix of emotions etched on her face. Mom looked much older than when I last saw her. Her face looked older, with some more wrinkles in them than I would have expected. Her hair had grayed a little and her form looked so much more aged. I quickly realized that it was my fault. She tried to do anything to forget the pain that I had left.

"LEAH!!" She ran at me and embraced me tightly. She was sobbing uncontrollably and I tried to calm her down as much as I could. This was something else that I could have prevented. I rubbed mom's back soothingly while forcing myself to think that I did this to protect her. I tried to think that the pain that I was feeling now was better than the pain of knowing that she was dead and that I could have done something to prevent all of this.

"Mom…"

"Leah! Leah, I-I-I-I'm s-s-so glad y-you're back." She choked back tears while her words came out so broken.

"I told you I'd be back. You and Seth sure have no faith in me." I joked.

"Where have you been? Why didn't you tell me where you were going? You just disappeared and no one could track you. No one knew where you were. They lost your trail at the cliff and I thought…But you're here!"

"It was all my fault Mrs. Clearwater." Genevieve told mom. Mom glanced at her for a second and I was expecting some sort of hate to flash in her eyes, but all I saw was understanding. Damn, Genevieve really did have something about her that no matter what, people could not be angry at her. Many people would think that was an amazing quality that she had, but I knew that it just made her all the more deadlier. I turned my attention back to mom and saw that she was expecting some sort of explanation. I sighed and began telling her the story. When I was finished she looked at me, a bit fearfully. I frowned at that.

"I'm still me, mom. I'm still Leah. I'm just a more enhanced Leah, I guess you could say."

"It's not that, sweetie. It's…it's the fact that you're going to be involved in some huge battle with this poor girl who should have had nothing to do with this life. Genevieve, is there any other way? I mean, she's only a child."

Genevieve shook her head slowly and spoke to mom sadly. "No. I wish there were another way, but there isn't."

"I see." Mom looked down at her hands and asked nothing more about the situation. "Well, I'm sure you're all hungry. How about I whip up something to eat? I'm sure I can make some fried eggs, bacon, pancakes, French toast, and waffles in only a short while."

"Mom, it's 1 A.M. And besides, that's breakfast!"

"That doesn't matter, Seth. You kids must be hungry. Go sit down at the counter and we can chat while I make the food. It's no problem at all kids, just go sit." I looked at my mom for a moment, before sitting down. This was going to take a while, mom couldn't cook as fast as Genevieve could.

"It makes her happy to do it, Leah. It will distract her mind." Genevieve whispered softly, making sure mom couldn't hear. I nodded and guessed she was right. It was a lot to digest. Seth, Genevieve, and I sat chatting with my mom about different subjects. I told mom about the places that I had been to and Seth grumbled about how lucky I was to travel. I told him that I didn't go all over Asia having fun and having a vacation, and that he should count himself lucky that he didn't have to go through some of the things I had to go through. Of course, I told him all of this in a low voice, so low that mom couldn't hear. He nodded and said that one day we should go, as a vacation. I gave him a quick hug and resumed chatting with mom.

"Have you guys run into anyone else?"

"Actually, I kind of wanted to make a huge entrance. You know, like jumping out of a cake or something and yelling 'Surprise!' or have some huge lightning bolt strike a fire or something and then when it's gone I'm standing there. Taking a page out of Genevieve's book, you know." I giggled. Genevieve shot me an annoyed look and muttered that her entrances weren't so tacky and cliché.

"Well, since Genevieve has us in this invisible barrier thing, how about you do an appearance with that? When no one's expecting it. It'll definitely be a surprise." Mom suggested.

"Not a bad idea, mom. I just have to pick the perfect time to do it."

It was around 3A.M when mom had finally gone to bed. She asked me if I was going to be here when she woke up and I gave her a hug and nodded. I told her that I wasn't tired at all and I was probably going to plan my grand entrance with Seth and Genevieve for a little while longer and then go to bed. She kissed my forehead and said goodnight.

"All right Lee, cut the crap. What do you _really_ want to do? You can't honestly expect me to believe that you want to talk about surprising some douche bags that don't even deserve it."

"What did I tell you about cursing? And, you're right. So, come on. Time to have some fun." And fun we would have. We'd be back by the time mom got up anyways. It's been five _years!_ Time to see who we were going to have fun with first.

"All right! I knew you wouldn't disappoint me." Seth laughed. I was starting to like this mischievous side of Seth. He said he had the absolute _best_ of idea of what to do and to whom. Something was telling me that this would be a mistake, but at the moment the fun outweighed the risks. Seth and I phased and I asked Genevieve to lift the barrier on my mind.

'_It's been a while since I've had anyone in my mind. I kind of missed it.'_

'_Count yourself lucky, Leah. I fucking _hate_ having these idiots in my mind. I try to phase whenever I think they're not there. Now follow me. I think by the time we're halfway there, you'll realize what we're doing and to whom.' _Seth snickered. I laughed and thought about how I _really _like this mischievous side of him.

'_Genevieve, can you tell if they're all there?' _Seth must have figured that Genevieve already knew what was going to happen. Damn them both! Seth was blocking his thoughts amazingly. What the fuck?!

'_Learned from the best, Lee.'_

"Yes, they have all gathered. I would suggest phasing as soon as we're half a mile away."

'_All right. Ready to have some fun? 'Cause I sure as hell am.' _

'_Hell yeah! Ah, Seth, it warms my heart to see you come to the dark side.'_ I teased. It was actually pretty weird. Seth had always been someone who would stay away from pranks and was the perfect little angel. Looks like this angel grew some serious horns.

"Time to phase, children. I've brought some new clothes for the both of you. One cannot make a good entrance without being dressed to impress." Seth and I took our respective clothes from Genevieve and we went to go phase far from each other. I absolutely loved the outfit that Genevieve brought me. The shirt was a blue sleeveless cherry blossom blouse which fit hugged my body perfectly and the bottoms were a pair of black Bermuda shorts and the shoes were a pair of black and blue sandals. All in all, the outfit accentuated my curves without showing off too much.

I went back to where Genevieve was waiting and saw Seth there as well. Seth was wearing a long sleeve, black and blue, pinstripe dress shirt that he had left open. Under the shirt, Seth wore a black wife beater and a pair of dark washed jeans with black Pumas.

"You made us match on purpose didn't you?"

"Of course." Genevieve giggled. She really did stand out when compared to us. She was wearing a dark red turtleneck shirt, with a pair of dark wash skinny jeans and dark red high heels. Her color choice was ironic really.

"Come on, let's go." Seth called to us. I didn't realize he had gone ahead. We caught up with him and started to head towards our destination: Casa de Leech. I wondered why Seth even wanted us to go. He had told us that he stopped going after the…incident with Jake and Nessie. I felt my chest tighten a bit at that thought. I couldn't really blame Jake, it wasn't like I was expecting him to wait for me forever. _'No matter how long it took.'_ I felt my chest tighten again. I tried to shake those words out of my head and think that they had no meaning. I learned a long time ago that words were just words until one takes action. I learned that lesson with Sam. He told me he'd love me forever and that he would marry me. Like I said, words were just words. Jake wasn't going to wait around for me when and if I returned. He didn't need me. I came to terms with that fact long ago and nothing was going to change that.

"What are you two planning?" I was suspicious, to say the least.

"A grand entrance, of course." Seth and Genevieve silently agreed on something. I started to think that this wasn't such a good idea.

"Nonsense, Leah. Everything will turn out…fine." Genevieve tried to reassure me. Out of all the places they could have picked, did it really have to be the Cullen home? It wasn't that I had a problem with them, well _some _of them, I just didn't think that they were the right people to see first. I was _really _going to regret agreeing to this.

"Guys, how are we going to get in there anyways? It's not like we can walk through walls."

"Well, actually…"

"Of course you can. Why didn't I see this coming?" I sighed. Of course Genevieve can walk through walls. What _can't_ she do? Sometimes I think all her stupid gifts were given to her to specifically ruin my life. "Let's do this already."

Seth and Genevieve walked in first and I followed closely behind them. I saw Genevieve tense up and I wondered what was wrong. I looked at Seth and saw that he was tense as well and looked ready to attack. I followed their line of vision and I had to do a double take. I couldn't believe what I was seeing. This had to be the wrong house. No way could this be real.

"Is this a joke? Are you doing this Genevieve?" Genevieve didn't say a word, she merely shook her head. Both Seth and her were watching me carefully. What could be so unbelievable? Simple. Not only was Jacob's pack here, but _Sam's_ pack was here too. And they were actually laughing and getting along with the Cullen's. They knew that everyone was going to be here, so I guess I could understand why they would not have wanted to tell me or why they tensed up as soon as we had walked it. What the _fuck_ was going on here? I leave for five years and suddenly everybody is buddy-buddy? Wow. Maybe everyone was happier without me here.

"Don't you _dare_ fucking think that!" Seth snarled. Wait, what? How did he know what I was…Oh…Genevieve. He must have asked her to let him in my mind to see what my reaction was. I was taken aback a little by how harsh his voice was. "Sorry, Lee."

"Don't worry about it." I couldn't blame him. I probably would have reacted the same way if our roles were switched around. I shook all the negative thoughts from my head and focused on the task at hand. When I really thought about it, this was the _perfect_ opportunity and I sure as hell was not letting it get away from me. Seth and Genevieve heard my thoughts and exchanged a quick mischievous smirk and gave a quick nod. They turned to me and the plan was set. One by one we would reveal ourselves to the unsuspecting crowd. Seth, then Genevieve, and finally me.

Jacob spoke up and asked everyone for a minute to speak. "Guys, we want to thank everyone for coming and I hope everyone is enjoying themselves. Who would have thought that all of us would become friends and actually be able to be in one room without going at it?"

"Not me, that's for sure. You know _Jacob_, I'm hurt that I wasn't invited to this little shindig." Seth smirked and everyone snapped their heads at the direction of his voice, where Seth was leaning by the front doorway.

"Yes, I am mildly appalled at your lack of consideration. How rude, wouldn't you say?" Genevieve appeared at the foot of the stairs and suddenly everyone's eyes grew wide and I thought some people were going to break their necks at how quick they snapped their heads towards her.

"Only slightly. He's always been like this." I walked out from the darkest corner of the room and if their eyes could have popped out, they would have. Sam, Paul, Jared, Quil and Charlie dropped their glasses the moment they realized who I was. In a flash, the wolves were standing in front of the imprints and had taken a defensive stance. I raised an eyebrow at their strange behavior, as did Genevieve and Seth. We gathered together once again and I found nothing but amusement at the sight before me. Did they really think that this was some kind of illusion? Hmm, gone for five years, no word from me, no one was able to hear my thoughts…okay so maybe they did have some point, but was it really necessary to growl?

"What? No hug?" I smirked slightly. Paul and Jared growled a little louder and I guessed that they really didn't think that I was really there. How in the world was I going to make them see that it was really me?

"Hey, you fucking morons, if this was some type of fucking trap or illusion do you really think that we would smell like wolves? Or don't you think we could have killed you all by now? How stupid do you really have to be?" Well, that was one why to convince them I suppose. I only wish Seth would have done it without cursing so damn much.

"L-Leah? Is that really you?" Sam asked.

"No, it's Emily Dickinson. Of course it's me! I can't believe you douche bags actually thought I was dead or something. When _I_ make a _promise_, I actually keep it." I snapped. Sam flinched but quickly regained his composure. I promised mom and Seth I was going to be back and I meant it. Sheesh, I couldn't believe how quickly they lost their faith in me.

"Guess five years didn't do anything to control that inner bitch, huh?" Ah, Rosalie. That is why I loved her. She was so much like me and I was like her. I was glad that the time hadn't done anything to change our friendship. Rosalie got up from her seat and made her way towards me. Everyone tensed up a little, everyone but Emmett. I guess he knew that if Rosalie thought it was me, then he would trust her judgment. Rosalie stopped two inches from me and took in my appearance. Finally, she looked me in the eyes and in a second I was in her marble arms. "I'm glad you're back." She whispered in my ear.

"Me too." I hugged her back and then she went on to hug Genevieve. The tension in the room had finally let up. It was kid of funny that it was Rosalie, of all people, who had actually tried to avoid confrontation instead of instigating it. The imprints were the first ones who had came up and welcomed me back. They all looked so much older. Emily was sporting a huge belly and she told me it was twins. I congratulated her and told her that I hoped that they came out looking more like her than Sam. She smiled and hugged me. Rachel only looked slightly older and hugged me tightly. Same with Kim. Claire was surprisingly there and came up to me and jumped into my arms. I thought the now eight year old girl wouldn't remember me, but I guess I was wrong. She kept saying that she asked Quil everyday where I was and everyday he told her that he did not know and wished that I would come back soon. I was a little surprised that Quil missed me, but I quickly took the touching words from this small child and told her that I was back so she didn't need to miss me anymore. She gave me a huge smile and pranced back to Quil's side.

From the corner of my eyes, I saw Jacob. He looked like he was having an inner debate on whether he should come over and welcome me back. In all honesty, I could have cared less. He was my Alpha, and I his Beta. That's where our relationship started and where it ended, no matter how much it hurt to admit that. I looked to his right and saw a girl who couldn't have been more than 16 or 17. She was an absolute goddess. She has long tresses of bronze hair that swept past her waist, and had pale skin that accentuated her chocolate brown eyes. If Edward had been born a girl, that is _exactly_ what he would have looked like. Renesmee Cullen, a mirror image of her father with hints of Bella, of course. I couldn't help but smile at her. I felt no anger towards her, though I'm sure Seth felt quite the opposite.

Just like Rosalie, she came up to me and inspected me for a moment or two. She raised her hand and was about to touch my cheek when Seth pulled me back towards that door. The others in the room looked from where Seth had me in his grasp to where Renesmee stood with her hand still in the air. The confusion was quite apparent on each of their faces, except for Edward who only frowned. Genevieve scolded Renesmee in what I could make out to be Italian. Renesmee narrowed her eyes and looked at me with a bit of hatred on her face before she returned to her previous seat. I glanced up at Seth and he was staring daggers at Jacob and Renesmee. I was so confused. What the hell was going on? Did I do something? Did Renesmee do something? And what was with that look that she kept giving me?

"Well, we had a riveting time. Rosalie, Alice, how about you come see us at the Clearwater home tomorrow around noon? We can catch up and have a little chat." Genevieve told them.

"Are you sure you don't want to stay a little bit longer?" Alice asked. I actually did want to stay but apparently that wasn't going to happen.

I was surprised when Edward spoke up from his seat in between Bella and Renesmee. "If you three would like, we have extra bedrooms that you could stay in. You would have more time with each other."

"Sorry Edward, however, Sue does not know that they are here and we promised her that we would be there when she woke up. We cannot have her think it was all a dream. Maybe another time. And do not worry, Leah will have time to catch up with each and every one of you throughout the next week. I bid you all a fond farewell." Genevieve disappeared and before I had time to protest, we were in the forest. I was about to ask them what the hell they were thinking pulling that stunt when suddenly I felt so tired. I tried fighting it but it was completely useless.

_Damn it…_

When I woke up, I sat up quickly and looked around, I was in my room. I smelled bacon and eggs from downstairs and my stomach suddenly growled in hunger. At the foot of my bed was a dark blue, red, and black halter dress and a pair of black flats. Again, my vampire fashion consultant had decided to dress me in what she thought was proper for me. I was a little mad at her for using her damn gifts against me but she must have had a reason for it. I got dressed and went downstairs.

"Good morning, Leah. How did you sleep?" Mom asked me. Seth and Genevieve were at the counter and Seth tried to stifle a laugh. I shot a glare at him and he shot one back. Guess little brother really was turning into me.

"I slept fine. How did you sleep?"

"Peacefully. Especially knowing that you were back. So, how did your grand entrance go yesterday?"

"How did you…"

"Leah, I'm your mother. Did you really think that I would think you and Seth and Genevieve weren't going to leave for a while after I went to sleep? I mean really Leah. Just who do you think I am?" She put her hands on her hips and a smile crept up into her face. We all laughed and told her about the events that occurred. She suddenly became more guarded and tensed up a little. What the hell? Did she know something too? Ugh, this was getting really annoying.

"Leah, Rosalie and Alice are going to be arriving at any moment. Is there anything that you would like before they arrive?" Genevieve asked.

"No, I'm fine. Seth, you want to stay? I'd rather have you somewhere I can see you." I really didn't want Seth to leave after the incident yesterday at the cliff. I knew he hated the Cullen's, but that was no reason for him to leave. Alice and Rosalie would never have done anything to him.

"Umm, I guess I'll stay for a little while. Nowhere else for me to go." Seth looked apprehensive, but he was staying damn it!

"They're your friends, you know. They wouldn't hurt you. Intentionally, at least."

"I know. They're okay in my book, if that's what you mean."

Mom set down a plate of food in front of me and Seth and we began to dig in. I sure did miss my mom's cooking, but Genevieve's was a close second. Mom said that she was going to leave for a little while and that if we needed anything to call her on her cell phone. She kissed me on the forehead and gave me a hug before she left and we waved back at her. Like clockwork, Rosalie and Alice arrived at noon and Seth kindly washed the dishes before joining us on the couch.

"And so the bitch returns." Rosalie said with a sly smile.

"Did you really think that I wasn't going to come back? I would have missed you guys way too much. Not to mention my mom and Seth." I missed them a lot. Rosalie was feisty and didn't take anyone's shit, just like me. I think that's what really pulled me to her. Alice was conniving when you got right down to it. But in a good way, though. And it also helped that Alice was amazing when it came to fashion, like Genevieve. Besides mom and Seth, they were the only things that kept me tied to this godforsaken place. Genevieve taught me to let go of the anger and resentment that I had bottled up inside me for a long time, but that didn't mean that the memories of being here couldn't bring the feelings back.

Rosalie and Alive began to tell me about some of the things that I've missed and all of the things they wish _they_ could have missed. Rosalie told me how she was this close to getting the hell out of here as well. Bella was really starting to get on her nerves and she couldn't handle it anymore. Alice surprised me when she told me that she agreed. Alice loved Bella, but she did sometimes get really clingy and wouldn't leave her alone. She was much too dependent on everyone. They both told me how recently she was more giddy and elated with the upcoming festivities for Renesmee.

"Is her birthday coming up already? I could have sworn it wasn't until later this year." I asked. Rosalie and Alice exchanged a look and Seth and Genevieve tensed up again. Okay, this was getting really strange. Everyone was getting really weird on me and I didn't know why. No one would tell me, not even Genevieve or my own brother.

"Okay, that's it! What the hell is going on with everyone? Anytime anyone mentions Renesmee or Jacob, everyone tenses up and everything turns super awkward. Will someone tell me what the hell is going on, please?" I pleaded with them. Seriously, if my own friends and family couldn't tell me something so simple as to why everyone was acting this way around me, who could?

"Leah, I kind of had another reason for suggesting the Cullen's house to be your big reveal." Seth refused to meet my eyes.

"Well, what is it?"

"Leah, everyone was gathered at our house for a reason." Rosalie told me softly.

"Guys, come on, just tell me already."

"Leah, dear, the occasion that they were celebrating was Jacob and Renesmee's…_engagement _party." _Oh_. That explained a lot of the reactions that everyone gave me.

They were all staring at me warily. I could tell that they were worried about me, but they didn't have any reason for it. I appreciated the gesture but I didn't need them to worry. I walked over to the window and gazed at the now darkening sky. I felt a tear slide down my cheek as I remembered what Genevieve once told me.

'_It's…dangerous for people such as ourselves to keep from showing our vulnerability. It's what keeps us from turning into monsters.'_

I closed my eyes and smiled. So, what happens when you've already turned into a monster?

* * *

**Yay! And we've ended now! And now we have Leah's purpose for the training. Poor little Amaris. Doesn't know that she's expendable to the Volturi. Rawr at them! He he. But yes. ENGAGED?! Yeah, I had to throw that in there. Btw, at this time, Renesmee is already physically 17 but she's like actually 6 or 7. Creepy huh? PEDOPHILE JACOB! Bad Jacob! =p You'll get more on that in the next few chapters. ^_^ **

**Much love and thanks to all my readers and reviewers! LOVE YOU GUYS AND GALS! Ciao!  
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	8. The Truth is in Those Eyes

**Disclaimer: ****I do not own Twilight or any of its characters. **

**A.N: Hi hi hi! XD So it's the next chapter yay! Sorry, that it's been late. Advice to all: DON'T PROCRASTINATE ON COLLEGE PAPERS!! Seriously. -__- So anyways! Tada! The next chapter. And yes, I realize that the engagement party at 3 am was super weird but I was writing at 3 am when I wrote that so I was like eh, why not? I really wanna thank all my reviewers! You guys are so awesome and keep me going! ^__^  
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* * *

**The Truth is in Those Eyes****  
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Seth's P.O.V

I stared at Leah as she stood by the window. It had been around ten minutes, and still not a word from her. I couldn't take it anymore. I stood up and walked over to her. I was a bit hesitant, but I had to know what she was going through when Genevieve uttered those words.

"Lee? Are you okay?" I turned her around and saw that she was smiling. I looked at her questioningly until she finally opened her eyes. She gently cupped my cheek and smiled brightly. I was shocked for a moment but I quickly scooped her up in my arms and gave her a strong hug. I was so scared that I was going to see the hurt and pain that had found its home in her after Sam.

"I'm fine. Thank you guys, for telling me. I know it wasn't easy, but thanks." She looked at each of the beautiful vampires in the room and let her eyes convey her feelings. She was fine with the news. But, I knew that deep inside, it stung. I wanted to confront her about it, but right now she was happy and her eyes shone so brightly that I couldn't bring myself to tell her that I knew she was lying. I was growing soft, little by little, but if it meant that she could be back here and happy, then I didn't care.

"Leah, we're here for you whenever you need it. You know that." Rosalie told her softly.

"Yeah, I know. Thanks, Rose."

"Oh! I've got the best idea! You'll absolutely love it, Leah." Alice, the little pixie, said giggling. She really was a pixie when I really thought about it. Even her laugh was pixie-like. Thinking back, I probably shouldn't have blamed the Cullen's. I still did and probably would forever, but that didn't mean that they deserved to be treated badly by me. One day at a time, I supposed.

"Cliff diving, Alice? Could you have possible picked a more dangerous pastime for these two?" Genevieve said.

"No fair, you read my mind!"

"That is sort of what I do, dear Alice." Genevieve teased. "Shall we, then? We should get going now before someone comes to take Leah away for a little 'reunion'."

When we arrived at the cliffs, there was no one in sight. I thought that was a little strange, since it was summer after all. Usually a ton of people would be here or at the beach. I looked towards the girls and they all sparkled like diamonds, except for Leah. Ah, well this would not have gone over well with other people around. Alice had given Rosalie and Leah some bathing suits and they all dawned said bathing suits. Being a wolf, I was already half naked 24/7, but Alice apparently wanted me to wear some board shorts and I reluctantly agreed.

"Earth to Seth!" I snapped out of my thoughts and noticed that the girls were all staring at me.

"Sorry. So, are we going to jump or not?" When me and Lee were younger, we used to come here all the time to watch all of the older kids jump. Mom and dad said that we weren't old enough and we could get hurt, but every time mom wasn't around, dad would grab me and Lee in his arms jump. I was scared at first, but I eventually grew to love it. After the first time, she demanded that she be able to jump alone. Dad said no, but damn she was just as stubborn as he was and eventually they both came to a compromise. She had this grace about her when she jumped. Sometimes the light played tricks with my eyes and for a second or two it actually looked like she has wings when she jumped. A fallen angel. Ironic, huh?

Genevieve decided that she was going to jump first. She bent her knees and shot up into the sky. She looked amazing, like a ballerina. She was definitely one of the most shockingly beautiful creatures that I would ever lay my eyes on. She did a couple of spins in the air, making it look like the most simple and natural act in the world. She entered the water, barely making a splash. She would have given Olympic divers a run for their money, that's for sure. Next up was Lee. She stood at the very edge of the cliff and I inhaled sharply when I saw the sun playing with my eyes again. She looked…incredible. If there was ever a time that any negativity emanated from her, now wasn't it. She looked like that younger version of Leah that didn't have a care in the world. She turned her head to look at me and gave me one of the warmest smiles I've ever seen. I smiled back at her and she took off. All those years of pain and misery, did nothing to her gracefulness.

"She worked rather hard to be in control of those emotions, you know." Genevieve told me softly.

"I know."

"You were correct in your assumption, however. Deep inside, the news did hurt her. She loves him, but she wants him to be happy. If that means letting him go forever, then she would do it. She is learning to let go, Seth. A heart takes years to mend, and her heart is only starting to fix itself. Be glad that she is strong enough, now, to do it by herself."

I frowned. "She doesn't need to do it by herself, Genevieve. She has us, her friends and family. And I'll do anything to make sure that smile that I haven't seen in _so many years_ never goes away."

"You are a good brother, Seth."

I smiled at her. "Thanks."

We were out there for an hour or two just jumping and catching up. Alice told me how she had a ton of clothes that would look amazingly on me and that she wanted me and Leah to come over today or tomorrow to get them. I really didn't want to, but I couldn't say no. I was convinced she had some kind 'you can't say no to me' type of power. Rosalie said that it would be a perfect timing since apparently Emmett had been moping how no one in the household was a challenge for him when it came to Halo. I actually did miss Emmett and all his obnoxious behaviors. Leah and I agreed to go later that night.

"Hey you guys, ready to go back? I'm getting kind of hungry." I hadn't eaten since the morning and wolves sure as hell have one fast metabolism. I was _starving_.

"I knew you two were going to be hungry, and so I packed a picnic last night after you went to sleep." Genevieve said. She ran back home and returned with a basket that smelled heavenly. I felt my mouth watering at the smell. The girls got dressed and we headed into the forest, to the nearest clearing. Alice set up the blanket and we all sat down to enjoy the picnic, well Leah and I at least.

Suddenly I stopped eating when I heard a twig snap. Someone was there. I immediately stood up and took a defensive position. Leah and Rosalie were crouched low, ready to attack at any given time. Alice let out a low growl and then suddenly the scents hit us all and we relaxed, somewhat.

"Hey, don't attack. We come in peace." It was Embry and Quil. They must have been patrolling around here and caught our scent. They each came out of the dense forest wearing basketball shorts and t-shirt's.

"Embry! Quil!" Leah yelled. "I missed you guys!" Leah ran to both of them and hugged them. Embry spun her around in a tight hug and Quil followed suit.

"We've missed you too, Leah. We went to your house a little earlier and you weren't there. Your mom said that you were out with Alice and Rosalie." Quil said.

"Yeah, we went cliff diving for a little while. What are you guys doing out here?"

"Patrolling. Not that there's any need for it, there hasn't been one threat in years. It's probably even going to stay that way forever." Embry responded. How wrong he really was. It was true. Not one _leech_ had even come near Forks or La Push in years, and it looked like they never would. But, I knew that there was an even bigger threat coming. I could tell why Genevieve and Carlisle didn't say anything about Amaris. Everyone was so happy and no one had to worry about anything really. I didn't want to be the one to burst their bubble of happiness and tell them that some crazy werewolf chick was coming to kill everyone they ever cared about. They'd know soon enough.

"I'm glad. You guys want to join us? We have plenty of food." Leah offered.

"Aww, Lee! They're going to eat everything and leave nothing for me." I pouted. Seriously, they would have inhaled the food like if it was air. Only downfall of having friends who are wolves, they have the same appetite that you do. Leah snickered and told me not be such a baby and that if I was still hungry we could always go home and she would make me something. I sighed. "Fine."

The guys told Leah that she's missed a lot and said how for some strange reason a lot more boys in La Push had started to phase. Leah, Genevieve, and I gave each other quick frantic glances and I knew that each of us were thinking the same thing. It was going to be that bad, huh? I pushed the thought to the back on my head. Embry recounted how he had finally imprinted on this girl named Alexa and how she was a little freaked out at first when he told her about the wolves and imprinting but eventually she got over it and they were happier than ever. Quil told Leah how they were _finally_ able to tell Claire's parents about the imprinting and that her dad wanted to kill him and how they didn't let him see her for months, but that eventually they calm down and were okay with it. We all relished in this afternoon and I actually didn't want to leave.

"Well, I've got to go guys. I've got to go see Alexa, we've got a date tonight." Embry said happily.

"Yeah, and I'm going to see Claire. I missed you a lot, Lee. I'm glad you're back. There's a bonfire tomorrow night, you guys should come." Quil said. Leah agreed and said that _we_ would be there. What the hell! Again I was being forced into something I didn't want to do. Women. The guys left and once again it was us five again.

"Seth, Leah, Genevieve, we've got to head out too. Remember to come over later tonight so you can get the clothes I have for you. Don't forget! Oh and you're also staying for dinner, okay?" Alice said quickly.

"Don't be late." Rosalie snickered and they both took off.

We picked up all of the plates and the blanket and headed home. When we got there, Lee went to go take a shower and Genevieve offered to make me something to eat since Embry and Quil ate everything that she made. I thanked her and went to go sit at the counter. A few minutes later, mom came home and greeted us. She said that she rented a movie and wanted to see if we wanted to watch it with her. I felt a bit guilty and told her that we told Alice we would go over later to get some clothes and have dinner.

"Seth, we could always watch the movie now. Besides, Alice said later tonight. She never specified when." Genevieve said and mom smiled at her.

"Movie? What movie?" Leah came down the stairs, her hair wet from the shower.

"_Sunshine_. I haven't seen it before and it looked interesting so I thought we could watch it."

"All right, sure."

We all settled down and watched the movie, eating the food that Genevieve whipped up. It was kind of interesting actually. What _would_ happen if the sun suddenly started to die out? I felt bad for the characters in the movie. They really didn't deserve to die that way, but I guess if you were going to go out, go out with a bang. Literally. Mom had fallen asleep during the movie, so I picked her up quietly and took her to her bedroom. Leah and Genevieve went to go get dressed and I headed to my room to do the same. Of course Genevieve had something picked out for me. I got dressed and headed downstairs to wait for the girls.

"Ready?" I asked when I saw them coming down the stairs. They both nodded and we headed out. We went in Genevieve's BMW X6 instead of phasing. It didn't matter to me. I didn't want to get there any sooner and I'm sure Genevieve heard that.

We got there twenty minutes later and Alice and Rosalie were already there waiting for us. Edward must have heard us coming and told them. We greeted the pair and headed inside. Alice told us to head up to her room and that she and Rosalie would be there in a moment. When we got inside, my jaw dropped at the racks and racks of clothes that lined Alice's room. One side was for Leah and the other for me. Where in the hell was I going to put all these clothes?

"Don't worry, Seth. You could always take some clothes and come back when you need more. Alice appeared behind us and she must have seen my gaped expression.

"Thanks. Alice, really this is too much, I couldn't possibly accept all these clothes." Seriously. It looked like she bought out all of Hollister, American Eagle, etc.

"Don't worry about it, Seth. Now come on, dinner's ready and Emmett can't wait to see you. He really wants to play come video games with you." Alice said.

We were heading downstairs when suddenly Genevieve pulled me back. "I need you to calm down." I looked at her skeptically, when it hit me. Jacob and Renesmee were downstairs. I felt myself shaking uncontrollably and Genevieve quickly took me outside. I was thankful because I knew I was going to phase at any moment.

"Calm down, Seth. Please?" She pleased with me. Leah came out with a worried look on her face. She probably knew what happened. She came over and tried to calm me down. I couldn't do this. I couldn't be here right now. Just thinking that I had to sit across from Jacob and Renesmee and act like nothing has happened made my anger rise.

"Jasper!" Lee yelled. Instantly I felt calmer and my body stopped shaking. That was probably the best thing about Jasper's gift. It was an instant mood elevator without the nasty side effects.

"Thanks Jasper." I knew he heard me. I took in a couple of quick breathes before feeling ready enough to go back inside.

"Are you all right? Maybe we should just go home, Seth. We can come back some other time if you don't feel up to it." Lee said. Even with Jasper helping me out, I knew I wouldn't be able to stay here much longer. I wanted to be the bigger person, but I just couldn't handle it. My hate was rooted too deeply and I couldn't just let it go in the matter of one day.

"I think I'm going to head back. You guys can stay here if you really want. I'll just phase and go home."

"I'm not staying here without you Seth. We'll just come back another day. Don't worry, Alice will understand." Lee could be so understanding. I really missed her and was glad she was back.

"You guys can take my car. I will be there in a short while." I thanked Genevieve. We got into the car and drove home. What a day.

* * *

Genevieve's P.O.V

I waved at Leah and Seth before going back inside. I was worried, to say the least. Seth and Jacob would have gotten involved in a horrible fight if I hadn't stopped him. When I got inside Alice and Rosalie were at my side asking me what was wrong. I glanced over at Jacob and Renesmee and they quickly understood.

"He will be fine. Do not worry about him. Seth just needs some time. Alice, I was wondering if you could help me bring over some of these clothes for Seth and Leah?" I asked.

"Um, Genevieve, I'll help you if you want. I'm going back anyways." It took everything in me not to rip his head off. I had to get myself under control. The nerve of Jacob! He was the cause of all of this and if he thought that I was going to save him while Seth tried to kill him, he was quite mistaken.

"No thank you, Jacob. Alice and I can manage without your help." I tried not to say it so bitterly, but from the look on his face I could tell that I had failed at masking my emotions.

'_What the hell did I do? She shouldn't be so mean to be. I didn't do anything to her.'_

"How dare you even question me, Jacob Black? Who in the hell do you think you are? You have caused so much pain for those who I have grown to love that you do not even have the pleasure of questioning me! They are the closest things that I have to family and if it was not for the fact that killing you would destroy Leah, I would have done it _years_ ago!" I could not help it. I lost my composure and told him what I felt. Every fiber of my being was _screaming_ at me to lunge at him and tear him to pieces, but I fought it. Murdering an Alpha would probably not go over well with the other wolves.

I heard a gasp and looked to see Bella staring at me fearfully. _'Her eyes…'_ Damn. I thought I was in better control than that. I went over to the nearest mirror and saw that my crystal blue eyes had turned crimson red. I let out a thunderous growl at that. I absolutely _hated_ these eyes. I smashed the mirror into thousands of pieces. I could not bare to see myself like this. I felt somewhat bad and embarrassed at my sudden outburst, but my rage outweighed those feelings intensely. I put my back on the wall and slid down. I brought my knees to my chest and hugged them tightly. I felt so vulnerable and weak, and angry and murderous.

"Genna…" I heard Carlisle speak softly. I could not look at him or anyone else. I had lost control when I should not have. Suddenly I felt someone envelop me in a hug. I looked up and saw that it was Edward. He and I always had a close relationship because I could understand the annoyances of having unwanted voices in my head. Minded I could choose who to have in my head and he could not, but I remembered what it was like for the first few centuries until I learned how to shut the voices out whenever I wanted to. I hugged him back. He picked me up and took me outside.

"Mountain Lion?" He asked. I nodded and he flew through the forest with me still in his arms. When we were close enough, he climbed a tree and let me down. I could see the mountain lion in the distance and I let the animal in me take over. I landed on the ground without making the slightest amount of noise and stalked my prey. The beast felt my presence and took a defensive stance. That was the reason I only hunted predator's. Unlike the prey, they fought back. Running away was a sign of weakness to them, whoever ran deserved to die. As a predator, I understood that concept quite well. However, the human side of me knew that this was not completely true. No, this beast was fighting for its right to live and I was fighting for my right not to kill humans.

The creature came at me with full force but I was too fast for it. It was over in less than a minute. I hungrily fed on the beast. As soon as I was done, I let out another thunderous growl. This creature did not deserve to be my meal for the day. This was not the life I was supposed to live. I was supposed to die human! _Centuries_ ago. Why did God punish me like this? What did I do to deserve this?

Edward pulled me tightly against his chest. "Genevieve, don't think of the negative. Think of everything that you've been able to do in this state. All of the friends you've gained and all of the lives you've saved. Don't think like that. Please? It hurts me to see you like this."

"Edward, please forgive me. I do not like to worry you in such a way."

"There is nothing to forgive, dear Genevieve." He kissed my forehead and helped me stand up. "Let's head back shall we? I'm sure the others are worried about you."

"I am certain they know I am fine. Alice probably saw it in a vision and settled everyone's fears." I responded.

"You're probably right. Do you want me to carry you back?" He asked softly.

"No. It's quite all right. I would like to ask a favor, though." Automatically he knew what it was. I was glad that he could read my mind sometimes. It made it easier on me sometimes. He led me to the closet pond. We stopped a few feet away and he nodded for me to go ahead. I smiled at him and walked towards the pond. I was almost afraid to look at my reflection. I looked back at Edward. _'Go on.'_

I hesitantly looked at my reflection and saw my mother's eyes staring back at me. I smiled brightly and ran into his arms. I felt a little silly, but anytime that this happened I always held the fear that one day my eyes would remain that crimson red forever.

He laughed at my thoughts and shook his head slightly. "Shall we, Mademoiselle Genevieve?"

I giggled. "But of course, Monsieur Cullen."

We were outside of the door when I stopped Edward. I wanted to discuss this outside before I had the chance to see that wretched boy again.

'_Should I apologize to _Jacob_?'_

'_Hmm…no, I don't think you should. He doesn't deserve one. Esme should for your destruction of the mirror.'_

'_I know. I am rather sorry about that. But, I will find her a better replacement. I hope she will like 15th__ Century German. I have actually been wanting to give that piece to her. She would appreciate it more than I.' _

'_Are you ready to go inside, Genevieve?'_

'_Yes.'_

We made our way and everyone was still in the living room. Carlisle and Esme had relieved looks on their faces. Rosalie and Alice came to hug me and asked me if I was okay now. I told them that I was and they had nothing to worry about. Emmett and Jasper kept quiet and I threw them a soft smile. Emmett grinned widely at me.

"Esme, I feel terrible about the mirror. I have a 15th Century German mirror that would look ever so lovely in place of the one I broke. I hope you can forgive me." I apologized wholeheartedly.

"Oh Genevieve, you don't have to worry about it. I'm just glad that you're fine." Esme gave me a hug and headed back to sit next to Carlisle. Edward went to go reassure Bella who was still looking at me a bit warily. I looked around and Jacob was nowhere to be seen. I was rather glad that my outburst had scared him away. Renesmee was gone as well and I was perfectly fine with it. Disrespectful girl.

"Genevieve, do you still want me to help you take some clothes to Leah and Seth?" Alice asked. I nodded and we each carried an entire rack of clothes back to the Clearwater home with Rosalie. I wondered what some humans would think if they saw us two petite girls carrying a long rack of clothes as if it were nothing. I giggled at the thought.

"Genevieve! You said you weren't going to take that long. It's been around two hours. Seth was about to phase and look for you." Leah told me as soon as we were inside.

"Leah, I am a centuries old vampire goddess. Murderer is my middle name. It would be completely absurd for Seth or you to come looking for me." I scolded. I was alive _centuries_ before they were even considered to be brought into this world. "Seth! Come help me and Alice with your clothes!" Seth came into view and enveloped me into a big hug. I told him that he was being ridiculous for worrying about me and he hugged me tighter in response. Rosalie was whispering into Leah's ear, recounting what had happened after they had left. _'Are you sure you're fine?'_ I nodded at Leah and smiled at her. She nodded at told Seth to stop being lazy and help bring in the clothes. Alice and Rosalie stayed for a few more minutes and asked us to come back some other day and that we should go shopping with them one day soon.

"Of course we will. How about Saturday?" Leah asked Alice. Alice squealed and agreed. As soon as they left, I turned to Leah and Seth and sighed.

"Seth's not the only one who overreacted today. I know that you heard what happened as well Seth. I am only grateful that you both did not see me in such a state."

"Don't worry about it. Happens to the best of us." Seth said teasingly. I smiled and giggled.

"_Sunshine?_" Leah asked.

"_Sunshine._" Seth and I said at the same time. I headed inside with the two people who were the sun and moon in my life. I'd be damned if I let the upcoming threat take them away from me.

* * *

Leah's P.O.V

The movie was over and Seth had knocked out on the couch snoring like a beast. The kid could sleep anywhere. I looked over to see Genevieve sketching like she usually did at this time of night.

"I'm going to bed, Genevieve. If you need anything, don't hesitate to wake up." I giggled.

She smiled and giggled. "Good night then, Leah."

I headed up towards my room. I tried to be as quiet as possible because mom was asleep and I knew that the last few days had been very tiring for her. As soon as I got to my room, I immediately went to the window and stared out at the black night. I smiled to myself. The moon wasn't out tonight, meaning that I didn't have to hide in the forest when I phased. As soon as I landed on the ground, I phased letting the electricity that I always loved take over me again. Damn. I looked at the shredded cloth around me and realized that I forgot to take off my clothes in my overexcitement.

"Seriously, you have to start remembering, Leah. Do you think I am made of money?" Genevieve tied a grey cotton dress for me to wear when I phased back to my ankle.

I rolled my eyes at her playfully. _'Yes, because you're so poor and needy. Having houses in every country in the world, oh poor you.'_

She smiled and waved her hand dismissively.

I vaguely noticed that there were no other voices in my head tonight. Jacob must have given the boys the night off. Sweet! I didn't have to deal with anyone tonight, not that it really mattered, but right now I just wanted to have my mind to myself. I phased as soon as I was close and untied the dress from my ankle and threw it on. Yeah, Genevieve was too good to me. The dress hugged my curves, and yet it was so comfortable.

Walking over to the cliff, I felt at peace, even after today's incident. I sat near the edge, sitting on a log that was close by. I tried to push all my thoughts out of my head, they were starting to give me a little headache. A lot of things have happened since I left La Push. The packs were finally getting along much better. Sam actually accepted the Cullen's and was actually hanging out with them. Everyone was pretty much happy.

I couldn't help but think that my presence here was only going to destroy that happiness that everyone had already found. I felt a knot in my stomach when I thought about what Embry and Quil had told me about more of the boys starting to phase. It wasn't going to be much longer now. I was pretty sure that the closer the date of Amaris' arrival, the more boys would begin to phase. It was starting to become more apparent that the pack's and everyone involved would have to learned about the threat any day now. Any day now, I would have to tell all these happy people that a threat like they've never seen was coming to kill them all. Any day now, I would have to tell them that if I couldn't kill her, these would be the last few days that they would have with their loved ones. Any day now, they were going to have to say goodbye.

I looked up at the stars and sighed. My presence only brought problems for everyone it seemed. I was back, only to tell them that they were going to die. Yeah, it was official, fate totally hated me. I got up and started to walk back. I didn't feel like phasing, I didn't want to push my luck in case one of the guys had phased and accidentally let them know of their impending doom.

I shook my head and tried not to think of that for now. I was home, and I had to try and just focus on that fact. Home. What a strange word. For five years, my home was not a permanent structure but an idea that I would see the faces of the ones who loved me. Yeah, that was home for me. And I enjoyed that home. It was better than any building. It was more real. It was the only thing that kept me going.

Jacob. He used to be one of the things that kept me going. But not anymore. I didn't have any claim on him and I never would. Renesmee was his world now. She's _always_ been his world and I just lived in it, as cliché as that may sound. They were made for each other, no matter how much Jacob may not have initially wanted it to be like that. I came to terms with the idea of imprinting a few years after I left. I still hated it, don't get me wrong, but I started to resent the people who imprinted less. They had their choices taken away and it was _painful_ for them to try and fight it. I came to the conclusion that if it wasn't for the fact that imprinting had destroyed my happiness with Sam, I might have accepted it more. I wouldn't have liked the whole getting your choices taken away from you, but I would have at least tolerated it somewhat. That's why I couldn't really blame Jacob for forgetting about me and becoming engaged to his soul mate.

It's just how fate would have it.

Fate.

That bitch.

I finally stopped and noticed that I was going in completely the opposite direction from my house. Yeah, I really needed to start noticing my surroundings. It was going to get me in trouble one of these days. Suddenly, I felt very uneasy. I couldn't shake the feeling that something was off. When I turned around, I was met with the sickly sweet scent that radiated off of those _leeches_. I caught the sight of the _leech_ and phased, shredding my clothes once again. Genevieve was going to be slightly annoyed with me for that.

"Well, what do we have here?" The melodic voice said. The _leech_ stepped out from the dense forest and I could see her ebony hair swaying in the light breeze. Her eyes were crimson red and she looked not much taller than Genevieve or Alice. She was standing there with her hands on her hips and had a smirk on her face as if saying that this fight was over and done with already. I growled at her. I hated when people underestimated me.

"I've heard that there was a pack of wolves around here, but from the look of you, it's nothing to be worried about."

I growled at her. _'Really? How about you come over here and we see if I'm "nothing to be worried about".'_

She lunged at me and I easily moved to the side and dodged her. She spun around and tried to grab at my hind legs, but I was to fast for her. I turned and bit her right leg, forcing her to fall on the ground. I ripped her leg off easily and she let out a shriek of pain. She started to claw at my face. Stupid _leech_. I bit her left arm and ripped it out of it's socket and she let out another shriek. Ugh, she was getting annoying. I decided that it was time to stop playing around and get rid of her already. Her shrieking was starting to give me a headache. I ripped and clawed the rest of the body until it was undistinguishable. That took all of two minutes. I phased and started to gather some branches to burn the body. I was glad Genevieve gave me a lighter to carry around with me whenever I needed to light something. Or someone.

Suddenly, I heard the leaves rustling. Great. Another freaking _leech_. Didn't they have anything better to do than to bother me? I phased and ran towards the sound of the rustling leaves. I wasn't going to give this _leech_ any time to mouth off stupid comments about how it was going to kill me for destroying its mate. I lunged towards the source of the disturbance and bit at whatever I could get my teeth on.

'_OWW!!!! Leah!' _I instantly backed off when I realized who it was.

'_Jacob…'_

'_Leah, couldn't you tell that it was me? That freaking hurt! Couldn't you smell that I wasn't a leech?' _Jacob yelled.

'_Sorry, I kind of tune out my other senses when I'm in a fight or I feel a threat coming on. Makes it easier to get the job done faster.' _Well it wasn't like he could really blame me. Besides he was being such a baby. All I did was bite him. It wasn't like I ripped off a leg or something.

'_You bit me hard okay!'_

'_Pfft! Whiner.' _I rolled my eyes and started to head back to the fire I had built. Jacob was following me, but I could feel his hesitation.

'_What are you doing here, Jacob?' _

'_I was just…out for a run. I…was trying to clear my head when I felt someone phase. I saw the leech and I ran to the same area and that's when I saw you fighting with that female. I didn't say anything because I thought you'd lose your focus and get hurt or something.' _

'_Oh.'_

'_Hey, I'm going to go phase, okay? I'd rather talk to you while we're human.'_

'_Umm, I sort of shredded my clothes so…' _I really had to start bringing an extra set of clothes with me everywhere. I was used to Genevieve having clothes for me whenever I phased so I didn't really bring anything with me.

'_Oh…Well, you can wear my shirt if you want. It'll be big on you so it'll uh…cover you up.' _If wolves could blush, I'm pretty sure Jacob would be as red as a tomato right now.

'_Sure. Thanks.'_ A few minutes later he came back out from behind some trees and had the shirt in his hands. He hadn't changed at all in the last five years. His hair was still long, but shorter than it was when I last saw him. He actually looked like he grew a little bit taller, but other than that he was still the same Jacob I left five years ago.

He handed me the shirt and I ran off to phase behind some trees. I threw on the shirt and noticed that it stopped mid thigh. I sighed. Well, at least it covered everything that needed to be covered. I walked out to see Jacob staring at the fire. I looked at him more closely and realized that even though he wasn't supposed to change he looked…older. His eyes seemed to lack that happiness that once shone so brightly. They seemed so…dull and lackluster. I was wrong. He wasn't the same Jacob I left five years ago. There was something missing.

He turned those lackluster eyes to me and I realized what it was that he was missing. _My_ Jacob was missing resolve. But…this wasn't my Jacob anymore. It was Renesmee's.

* * *

**Poor...everyone. Lol. Seth went all angry, but can't blame him can you? He's not going to get over that anger in like a day. He's getting there, but it takes time. Genevieve lost her cool! -Gasp- She's really not one to lose it. Isn't Edward just the nicest? Aww. Lol. Leah thinks that everyone's better off without her there =[[. But yay! She kicked butt in two minutes. AND she wasn't even being serious! Badass that she is now. ;D I think from the end of this chapter on you guys will begin to like Jacob a bit more. That silly boy. You guys shall see.  
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**Random question/thought: What do you guys think about Eddie and Genevieve have more than just a friendly relationship? I was thinking of Seth and Genevieve but I don't know...What do you guys think?**

**Reviews = LOVE! XDD Much love!  
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	9. Sometimes You're Meant to be Broken

**Disclaimer**: **I do not own Twilight or any of its characters. **

**A.N: Ugh, I hate this chapter, I hate college, I hate everything!! RAWR! -__- Sorry about that. So, I'm not all to happy with Jacob's P.O.V like a the very end of the chapter but eh. Sorry I've made you wait. When I said don't procrastinate in the last chapter, I mean it. Freaking 5 projects due on like Wednesday, and I started them today. I'll probably have no chance to write this week, but will TRY to have another chapter by sometime next week. This chapter is pretty short, but I thought it best to cut it off where I did. So yeah. Enjoy! ;D  
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**Sometimes You're Meant to be Broken**

Leah's P.O.V

"Leah…I-I'm sorry. When I saw you I was just…so confused and surprised. I-I didn't know what to say or do." Jacob said softly.

I sighed and shrugged. "It's fine, Jacob. Don't worry about it."

He furrowed his eyebrows and stared at the fire again. "You know, a few years after you left, everyone had lost hope that you'd ever come back. Seth never lost hope though. He always told me that you'd come back when we'd least expect it. Guess he wasn't kidding, huh?"

I laughed softly. "No, I guess not. He's always been right about things like that."

"I missed you a lot, Lee. I spent a few months trying to track you right after you left, but I couldn't find one single trace of you or that _leech_." He growled out that last part.

"Jacob Black, don't you dare call her that! Genevieve was there for me from the very beginning! She helped me in ways that you could never understand. She's like a sister to me, she's family. Besides Seth or my mom, she's the only one who actually cares about me." I yelled at him. Genevieve was family and nobody talked about my family in such a derogatory way.

"A sister? Family? Leah, family don't basically kidnap you for _five freaking years _and then bring you back and expect everything to be all fine and dandy." He yelled back.

"She didn't _kidnap _me, Jacob. I went with her _voluntarily_, just like I said in the letter I left. I needed to get out of here, Jacob! I needed to clear my head and I sure as hell couldn't have done that here!" I felt my control starting to slip a bit. I took a deep breath and tried to calm down.

"B-But that's what…W-why? Why couldn't you get everything straightened out here, Leah? Why'd you have to leave for such a long time? Why'd you leave _me_?" His voice was breaking, and there were tears in his eyes threatening to spill over. I stared at him and fought the urge to go over and hold him and tell him that it was okay, and that I was back and I wouldn't leave him.

"Jacob…" I said softly.

"Lee, I-I love you. I really do. When you left, I didn't know what to do with myself. The rest of the guys couldn't stand to phase when I was around. The pain was too much for them to endure. There were so many times that I just wanted to jump off a cliff or find a _leech_ and let it end my life. The only shred of hope that I had, the only thing that was keeping me from killing myself was when Carlisle came back and said that he saw you and Genevieve. Edward said that you were thinking of coming back soon and for the next two or three years I held onto his words. After that…I-I lost hope. I'm sorry, Lee. I messed up big and I don't know how to fix it." Jacob was crying freely at this point.

I smiled softly. "Jacob, silly boy, you don't love me. You didn't mess up at all. You love Renesmee, as you should. You're going to get m-married to her." The truth was difficult to say. He was about to protest but I cut him off. "You're going to live a wonderful long and happy life with her. That's how fate made it out for you. Jake, you have to stop fighting it. You don't love me. Just accept it."

"NO! Leah, I love you! Why can't you see that? I love you more than anything!" He yelled.

"I don't…love you, that is. I never did, Jake. Never." My voice didn't break, not once. I wondered if he would accept the words as the truth and not as the blatant lies that they really were. The pained and hurt expression that he wore almost made me lose my resolve. Almost.

"Y-you c-can't mean th-that." Jacob stuttered. The pain was so evident in his voice, but I couldn't back down. There were so many factors that just didn't allow me to run to his side. Jacob was engaged to Renesmee and I refused to be the home wrecker. Seth would probably never talk to me ever again. Genevieve would be so disappointed. The relationship between Sam's pack and the Cullen's would have been severed…

"I do." How ironic that the same words that would join Jacob and Renesmee in holy matrimony were the same words that would separate me and Jacob forever.

I turned to leave, refusing to look at Jacob. All these years, I couldn't wait to see Jacob and have him in my arms. I couldn't wait to tell him that I loved him with all my heart. I couldn't wait to have my fairytale life with him. But now…everything was different. _If you love someone, set them free_. I was setting him free, even if it hurt me. He doesn't understand right now, but one day he will. One day, he'll look back on this and understand what I've done for him. He'll understand that all I was trying to do was give him a better life, even if it meant sacrificing my own happiness.

I heard a thud, followed by the mournful cries of the young wolf boy I was letting go. I couldn't go back to him. I couldn't think that we could be together. I couldn't think that he loved me or that I loved him. I couldn't go back to holding onto false hope.

---

As I walked home, I tried to calm down somewhat. I was trying so hard not to cry, but it was proving to be a difficult task. I was scared about what Genevieve and Seth would say. I wasn't going to be able to keep my meeting with Jacob a secret for too long. My house came into view and I tried to think of something other than Jacob's pain filled eyes.

"Leah…" Genevieve's voice was soft and sympathetic. She enveloped me in a tight embrace while pulling me into the house. Seth woke up when he heard the door slam shut behind us, and sat up quickly. When he saw me, his expression grew worried.

"What's wrong, Lee? What happened? Are you okay?" His voice was full of worry. I nodded at him and took a seat by him on the couch. He froze as soon as I sat down and started shaking. _Shit!_ I smelled like Jacob, not to mention I was wearing his shirt.

"Seth! Seth…calm down. He didn't do anything to me. Just _calm down_." He took a couple of deep breath's and the shaking stopped. I explained the whole situation to both of them. I told them about how Jacob still loved me and how sorry he was and felt. I told them how I had let him go and how much it killed me inside to do that. I told them all the reason's that I couldn't be with Jacob. I even told them how the quiet night sky was filled with cries of pain and misery emitted from Jacob. I saw a flash of guilt go through their eyes. As soon as I was done, I broke down and let the pain take over. I sobbed into Seth's chest and Genevieve rubbed my back soothingly. Neither of them said a word, they only held me and let my emotions pour out.

Finally, Seth spoke up. "Lee, I'm so sorry. For everything. For the way I've been acting and how I've been lashing out at everyone. And…I guess I'm sorry for the way I acted at the Cullen's house. Jake's not my favorite person, and I'll admit that it's going to take a while for me to like and trust him again, but don't just let him go on my account. You deserve to be happy, Lee. And if that's with Jacob, then I'll just have to learn to live with that."

"I apologize as well, Leah. It pains me to see you hurt and grieving. If you really love him and he, in turn, loves you as well, then you should go to him and allow to let your love flourish. The minor details will be worked out all in due time, my dear. Do not let him get away. Love is so hard to come by in this day and age." Genevieve smiled and embraced me tightly.

"Thank you. But, I can't be with him, you guys. He's with Renesmee and I'm not going to be the one who comes in between them. I don't want to cause turmoil between the Cullen's and the pack's. I don't want to cause any problems at all. It's better this way. I'll get over it, you'll see." I forced a smile, but they could see right through it. For the next hour, they told me that I was being stupid and that I should just be with him. Genevieve was getting annoyed at me and Seth kept trying to plan out different scenarios in which it would all work out. But, in the end, I stuck to my decision and ended the conversation. I was tired, both physically and emotionally.

"Night!" I yelled at them as loudly as I could without waking up mom. I ran up the stairs into my room and plopped down onto my bed. I didn't even bother to change out of Jacob's shirt. It was too comforting. I felt the tears stinging my eyes when I thought about him, and this time I let them fall freely. Genevieve and Seth's scents were right at my door and I didn't need to see them to know that they both shared equally pained and guilt ridden expressions. I cried myself to sleep, letting the darkness dull the pain.

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Jake's P.O.V

"_I don't…love you, that is. I never did, Jake. Never."_

I kept repeating her words over and over again in my mind. She had to be lying. It wasn't true. She _did _love me. Right? I stared at the spot the she stood in a few hours ago. Leah was even more beautiful than I last remembered, if that was even possible. There was just something about her that was different, better. I had made such a mess of everything and now I had to clean it up. But how was I going to do that without breaking anyone's heart?

I tried standing up, only to fall back down. I was too exhausted to even move. This was all my fault. Everything. Why did I have to be such a fucking _idiot_? Why couldn't I have just told her how I felt all those years ago? Maybe I could have stopped her from leaving or at least understand the reasons better. I _should_ have done _something_. Now, I can't do anything. She doesn't want me. She refuses to love me. There's nothing I can do. Nothing.

"My goodness, you and Edward _must_ share a brain or something. You are both so _overly _dramatic." I looked up to see Genevieve, much to my surprise. Panic filled me as I remembered her reaction to me earlier that evening and I tried to move away. I heard her sigh and footsteps coming closer. I had to move. _Move dammit!_

"I am not here to _kill _you, silly wolf." Her voice seemed farther away. I tried focusing my eyes and looked around the dark forest night for the aforementioned goddess, but to no avail. I felt my eyes drooping and I tried to fight the sleep. I was winning, if only for a second, and saw Genevieve kneel down in front of me. She had a pained look on her face and her eyes were riddled with guilt. I wanted to ask her why she was here if not to kill me and why she looked so guilty, but I didn't have the strength to talk. My body felt was starting to feel heavier, as if a huge boulder was on my back, pressing me into the ground. My mind was so hazy, I couldn't come up with a coherent thought. What the hell was going on?

I faintly heard a voice, but I couldn't make out who it was. Moments later, my thoughts ceased and my world was black.

'_Goodnight Jacob. I shall explain everything in the morning.'_

---

When I woke up, my head was throbbing. It felt like I got hit by a semi or something. I looked around and realized that I was in my room. But…how did I get here? The last thing I remembered was laying on the forest floor thinking about how much I screwed up and then I distinctly remember the smell of mangos and mandarins. _Genevieve!_

"Yes, dear Jacob?" She laughed softly and was by my side instantly. I eyed her cautiously, wondering what her next move was going to be. She sighed. "Really Jacob, if I wanted to hurt you, do you not believe I would have done so last night, while you were completely immobile?" She had a point.

"I'm sorry, Genevieve. I guess you're one of the first person's that I have to apologize to. I hurt Leah and Seth, and I know they mean a lot to you and for that I'm sorry. You don't have to accept and I don't expect you to, but I just wanted to say that I'm sorry. And thank you for bringing me back here, after last night. You didn't have to, I could have just spent the night out there."

"Now Jacob, as a vampire, my skin is frigidly cold and my heart is no longer beating, but that does not mean that I am coldhearted. I was not going to leave you out there alone and hurting." Genevieve sat down next to me and ghosted her hand over my cheek, never really touching me. What a strange gesture. She must have that my thoughts were funny because she laughed softly. "I apologize, Jacob. Old habits die hard I suppose. When I was living in Europe, I would come across young, scared, homeless children and I would try to help them as much as I could. I helped them fend for themselves for as long as I could, before it became dangerous for me to stay in one place too long. Anyways, the children would always tell me that my touch was ever so cold and from that moment I got used to showing my affection and comfort in the same way I have just done with you."

"Well, you're not that cold to me. You're a bit warmer than the rest of the Cullen's actually. Not to mention. you smell _way_ better." I grinned widely at her and she smiled back at me. From the first moment I saw Genevieve, she seemed something so far out of my realm of understanding. She was a complex creature that I would never end up understanding completely, and strangely I felt so at ease with her. In this world, there were vampire, werewolves, shape-shifters, hybrids…and then there was Genevieve. Warmer than vampires, but not as warm as the hybrids. As deadly as all of the aforementioned creatures, yet as gentle as a human. Her scent was earthy, in the sense it was fruit based, and it wasn't that sickly sweet scent of the vampires and hybrids. And her eyes were not the honey colored or the crimson colored of the vampires but, from what Carlisle has told me, those of the true werewolves; eyes as azure as the ocean and sky, with the same mysteries that both elements held. She had traits and characteristics of the deadliest creatures God ever put on this earth; she was everything like us and nothing like us at the same time.

From the moment I saw Genevieve, I came to the conclusion that there was more to her than meets the eye.

_It was the end of April and the day wasn't the clear blue-sky that I would have liked but, according to Alice, there was a thunderstorm coming, meaning that it was the perfect day to play baseball with the _leeches_. I was completely stoked. From what Bella told me, their idea of playing baseball was pretty extreme. All abilities were fair game and I sure as hell was going to take advantage of that. _

"_You guys can play, but I think I'm just going to sit this one out. I can watch Nessie or keep score or something like that, I guess." Leah shrugged. _

"_What! No way, Lee! You're not getting out of this that easily. Come on, just have a little fun with us." I exclaimed. "God knows you need it." I muttered the last part hoping she wouldn't hear me. I glanced at her only to see the distant look in her eyes. I placed my hand on her shoulder and she seemed to come out of whatever trance she was in. _

"_What? Yeah sure, whatever." Leah walked off and I was about to ask her what was bugging her when I noticed that Quil and Embry had just arrived. _

"_Jake! We aren't late, are we?" Quil asked. _

"_Nah, you guys are right on time. The Cullen's are going to bat first so I need Leah and Seth to be in the outfield, since you they're the fastest. Embry, you're going to cover first base and Quil, you're going to cover third base. I'm going to be pitching, and since we need one more person, Alice is going to join us and cover second base." They all nodded and took their positions. _

_Edward was the first batter. There was no way in _hell_ I was going to let Edward hit one past me. We waited until Alice gave us the go. _

"_We're good to go, guys." Alice told us. _

"_Get ready, _sparkles_. There's _no way_ you're going to get a hit!" _

"_We'll see about that, _mutt_." _

_I wound up for the pitch and, much to my disappointment, the ball connected with the bat. The ball whistled through the air and Leah shot out after it. Edward rounded the bases and then we saw Leah, phased, running with the ball in her mouth. _

"_OUT!" Esme called. Leah had caught up with Edward and it was all over. _

"_Way to go Lee! I almost thought you weren't going to make it." Seth said excitedly. _

"_Yeah, awesome play, Leah! You were insanely fast." Quil and Embry praised her and she nodded her wolfy head at them in appreciation. I smiled at her but she stared at me before turning around to take her position. Weird._

_Carlisle was up next, but as soon as he stepped up to bat, a huge bolt of lightning struck the ground and which was powerful enough to throw us all off balance. What happened next, blew my mind. I got up and looked around to see that the pack was okay. Leah, Seth, Quil, and Embry were frozen in place. I followed their line of vision and tensed up when I saw a girl standing in the exact spot where the bolt of lightning hit. _

"_Genna, dear, was there no other way for you to make your presence known? You have frightened my family and friends. Think before you act, dear." Carlisle told the strange girl. He walked towards her and embraced her tightly._

"_I suppose, dear Carlisle. However, I felt that this would have been the more awe inspiring and would give some insight towards me. I do apologize for frightening all of you, though. It was not my intention." The girl turned to us and my eyes widened in surprise. Her eyes…were a sapphire blue, her scent was that of mandarin with a hint of mango, she was tan and had long straight ebony hair that reached her waist, and looked to be a bit taller than Alice. She smiled at each one of us, but her stare lingered on Leah. _

_Carlisle and Edward walked over to her and she turned her attention back towards them. Leah seemed to have relaxed under the scrutinizing gaze of the girl. _

"_Genevieve, how good it is to see you. It's been over 30 years since I've seen you last. I've missed our talks, you know." Edward smiled at Genevieve, I think I heard Edward say. "To what do we owe this pleasure?" _

"_I have visited with Zafrina and have heard interesting stories about you and your coven. I hear congratulations are in order for the birth of your daughter, Renesmee." Genevieve said. _

"_Ah, so you've heard about my little miracle."_

"_Yes, I have. I have also head that the Volturi had come to kill her, and that Aro was rather intrigued in a group of some rather large wolves. Judging from the scent, they must be the shape-shifters." She said pointing towards us. Carlisle nodded and told all of us to gather around. _

"_Genevieve, I would like you to meet my brothers Jasper and Emmet, and my sisters Rosalie and Alice and my mother, Esme. This young woman here is my love, Bella, and our daughter Renesmee." Edward introduced his family to Genevieve. Bella seemed trusting of this stranger and brought Nessie to her. Nessie smiled up at her and I wanted to go over and take her into my arms. Genevieve looked a bit disinterested in little Nessie and that annoyed me a little. She started to look around at the pack and her eyes lingered to Leah, again. She walked towards her, leaving Nessie and Bella frowning at the lack of appreciation. _

"_My, my ,a female shape-shifter. How rather interesting. I have never heard of there being a female shape-shifter, you are quite unique, my dear. Very special. You should stop thinking that you are a 'freak' as you like to say." Genevieve looked at Leah with such interest that it made me think that she knew something that we didn't. _

"_What are you?" _Crap._ I didn't realize I had blurted that out. Dammit! _

_She giggled. "What am I? Once, many years ago, I was a living, breathing human. I could eat, sleep, have children. But, that was many years ago. Now, unfortunately, I am that which you hunt. I realize that you are confused by my appearance, but make no mistake, I am a vampire." _

_I stared at her for a long while. If there was one thing that I was sure of at this point it was that she was going to prove life to be very interesting. _

"Reliving memories of the past, Jacob? I wish it were as simple for me to do the same." She glanced at me and I saw the pain and anguish that was centuries old. I didn't know that much about her past and I felt a little guilty at that. Before she left with Leah in tow, she was always pretty nice and courteous to me. Always offering me help and if I was stressed or something she'd offer me some advice. I should have gotten to know her better.

"Genevieve…why _did_ you help me? I don't deserve your help."

She sighed softly. "Jacob, I know that you love Leah and you would not do anything to hurt her intentionally. Leah is quite stubborn and once her mind is set, there is almost nothing that can change it. She does love you, Jacob, but she does not wish to create a rift between the pack's and the Cullen's. There are other reasons as well, but this is not the time nor the place to talk about that one."

"You're right. Leah's very stubborn, but so am I, Genevieve. I'm going to need your help…and Seth's." I was a little worried about confronting Seth. I knew why he was angry and I wanted to explain everything that had happened but he never listened to me. We tried to avoid each other as much as possible. But now, I was going to need his help. Oh boy.

"I shall help in any way possible. I would not worry about Seth so much. He has begun to come around. Leah being here has changed him rather quickly. But even so, do not expect him to be the same as he once was. He had gone through years of this…self-torture. Your friendship will not be so easily fixed, however, I foresee it getting somewhat repaired. But do not worry, Seth will help you. Now, I must take my leave. I made some food for you and left it on the table, eat up and relax for today. I would like to ask you not to go the Cullen's home until later in the evening if you could."

"I, er, guess so. Yeah, sure." I gazed at her questioningly.

"Thank you. Until we meet again, then." She smiled widely at me and was gone in an instant. I felt somewhat relieved that she was going to help me, but I knew it wasn't going to be that simple. There were a lot of obstacles to overcome and hopefully I'd be able to do so, with the minimal amount of heartbreak.

I laughed. Yep, Genevieve sure has made life around here a lot more interesting than it used to be.

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**Poor Jakey. Leah had to be mean and crush his wolfy heart...while in the process crushing hers? He he. She does make sense though, he IS engaged. Let's see what we can do about that, shall we? ;D Genevieve is a scheming little devil, but I love her. He he. Genevieve's gonna have a little confrontation next chapter. I wonder with whom....HMMMMmmmm. ;D**

**Read and Review dear friends. CIAO!  
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	10. Decisions, Decisions

**Disclaimer: ****I do not own Twilight or any of its characters. **

**A.N: He he. Yay for another chapter. Took forever, but yay right? It was pretty hard to write. But, I think I got it how I wanted it. Yay! Bella finally makes her presence known. Keep in mind, she annoys the hell out of me, so if ya love her, sorry. Have fun with it. :D  
**

* * *

**Decisions, Decisions**

Genevieve's P.O.V

"Seth, would you like to accompany me to the Cullen's?" I had left Jacob's home and arrived back at the Clearwater's home shortly after. Seth was sitting on the couch, in his pajama pants, watching cartoons and whatnot. Really, it amazed me how teenagers of this era had nothing better to do early in the morning than watch cartoons.

"Yeah, sure. I still got to kick Emmett's ass in Call of Duty." Seth smirked. I rolled my eyes at him and told him to hurry up and get dressed. Leah was going to be indisposed with Alice and Rosalie today, as they had decided to take her on a shopping trip, which Leah did not know about quite yet. Leah needed a distraction after what happened last night, and I knew she would not mind. I wrote Leah a note and left it beside the food I had prepared for her for when she woke up. Seth came back downstairs from his room and we set off. We decided to walk instead of run since we were in no hurry to get to the Cullen's home.

"I spoke with Jacob today, Seth."

"Oh…"Seth said despondently.

"Seth, you are not jealous of him…are you?"

"N-no! Of course not!" He sputtered.

"Really now? Because you definitely sound like you are." I smirked.

He blushed. "I don't know what you're talking about."

I laughed. "Seth, I am only trying to help him with Leah. You have _nothing_ to be worried about. I'm all yours." I winked at him. He smirked at me and we continued to walk through the forest towards our destination.

We were close to the Cullen's home, only about three minutes away, when Seth stopped dead in his tracks. I raised an eyebrow at him and tried to listen to his thoughts but he was blocking them out from me. What was he trying to hide?

I walked up to him and gingerly rested my hand on his cheek. Hesitantly, he raised his eyes to meet mine and smiled softly. The eyes were the window to the soul, and Seth's eyes held so much in them. I saw all the pain and fear he held inside, but at the same time I saw all the love and adoration that was buried deep within him. I could hear his heart beating wildly in his chest. I placed my hand over his beating heart and he followed suit. I looked at our hands and it felt so…right.

I met his gaze once more and all I saw was the love and happiness that had been so long gone. He wrapped his unoccupied arm around my waist, bringing me closer to him. I was tightly wound to him and could feel every contour of his body.

"Genevieve, I…" I leaned up towards him and wrapped my free hand around his neck, bringing him closer to me and brushed my lips against his, ever so softly, cutting off what he was about to say. Even though the kiss was quite chaste, the feelings I felt the moment our lips touched was otherworldly.

I pulled away, reluctantly, and smiled. "I know. I feel the same." I was not sure if I could call this love, but it was damn close. Seth and I were instantly drawn to each other from the moment we met. This was not imprinting by any means, it was something I considered much stronger. It was natural. With imprinting, the wolves were _forced_ to love their imprints and everyone else paled in comparison. Seth and I were falling for each other the natural way, and this was stronger than what the others claimed imprinting was. Seth would never be a _slave_ to me, and I would never feel obligated to stay with him. The others were not capable of seeing what Leah, Seth, and I saw. They were chained to their imprints with a chain that had a non-existent keyhole and key.

Seth gave me a quick kiss and buried his face in the crook of my neck. "Never leave again. Please, Genevieve." His voice was so soft and pleading. I planted a kiss to his neck and felt him shiver.

"Seth, I will never leave your side. I promise you that."

"Thank you." Seth pulled back slightly and we stared at each others eyes for what seemed like an eternity. I kissed him once more and intertwined my hand with his, pulling him towards the Cullen's home.

Upon entering, I heard Edward laugh softly. Damn. I forgot to block Seth's thoughts from Edward. Oh well, he was going to find out eventually.

"Yo Seth! Ready for the ass kicking of your¾" Emmett abruptly stopped talked and stared at our intertwined hands. A huge grin spread over his face before he began speaking. "Finally! I was wondering when you two would get together. Jasper owes me a new stereo system for my car."

I sighed. "Why does that not surprise me? Oh and Emmett, if you want any chances of doing well, do not let Jasper play with you."

Jasper chuckled from the stairwell. "I don't think warning him would make that much of a difference, Genevieve." Emmett shot a glare at Jasper and folded his arms across his chest. He looked much like a child when he did so.

"That's because he _is_ a child, Genevieve." Edward chuckled. I shook my head and laughed.

"Hey guys…I, um, wanted to apologize for yesterday. I shouldn't have acted like that. I hope you guys will forgive me." Seth honestly felt bad for what happened. I squeezed his hand comfortingly and kissed his cheek. He was a good person that just went through some emotionally difficult experiences. Leah and Seth were more alike than they could ever imagine.

"It's fine, Seth. You don't have to apologize for anything. It's all in the past dear." Esme and Carlisle appeared next to Edward, and Esme came forward to hug Seth. He smiled and hugged her back. I must remember to bring her that mirror I promised her.

"Well then, Seth, how about you and Emmett get on with that game of yours, and Edward, if I may, I would like to have a word with you." Seth gave me a quick kiss before he bounded over to take the spot next to Emmett. Edward and I made our way outside and walked far enough away that no one would hear our conversation. I stayed quiet for a while, trying to organize my thoughts accordingly.

"Genevieve…I know what you're planning. No doubt you'll enlist the help of my sister's but…is it worth it? Is it worth the pain and misery that you're going to put people through?"

"I have the chance to right a wrong, Edward. How can I not take the opportunity? The pain and misery is nothing compared to what it could be in the future. Do you want me to just leave everything as is and let them wallow in the misery of a _false _love?! You cannot honestly expect me to do that!" Anger was beginning to build up inside of me.

"At what cost, Genevieve?! My daughter's happiness? The peace we've _finally _been able to achieve while you were both gone? Stop being so selfish and think about the others! You're going to rip apart Jacob and Renesmee because of a supposed wrong that was committed? Don't interfere, Genevieve, just let it all play out how it's supposed to!" Edward exclaimed.

"You are one to talk about interfering in people's lives, Edward Anthony Masen Cullen!" I spat at him. "Maybe if it was not for you and your lack of self control, this would have _never_ happened! If you had learn to _stay away_, things would have turned out differently. If you had never gone against _our laws_, none of this would have ever happened! You would not have a selfish, self-absorbed _brat_ for a daughter, and a conniving, manipulative tart of a wife!" He growled deeply from his chest and I could see the anger that was burning behind his topaz eyes. I was sure that he could clearly see the anger in mine.

I hadn't noticed until now, but we had begun to circle one another. We were both poised to attack and all thoughts of civility were far gone. All I wanted to do was rip and claw at every inch of Edward until he was no more.

"How _dare_ you say that about them?!"

I laughed cynically. "And _what _are you going to do about it? By the time you formulate a plan, I shall have already killed you, _Edward dear_." There was no way he would lay a finger on me. I was too fast for him and I had many more years of experience of fighting under my belt. The moment he decided on a plan, I would have already ripped off a limb or two.

At the moment, he was contemplating his first move. All I had to do was create my shield and block my mind from him. Hit him from the side and then from above. Rip off his head and burn him. It would be so simple and no one would have the time to save him. Piece of cake.

_No._

No. What was I doing? Edward was my friend, my confidante, the one person in the world who I had learned to trust completely. I could not conceive wanting to put him in any kind of danger, so why was I the one who was about to inflict it? The killer inside me wanted to continue, to berate him even more, to push his buttons as far as possible. I had instigated this and I had to stop it.

I stopped circling Edward and backed away as far as possible. "E-Edward. I…Please forgive me. I did not intend to goad you in such a way. I have no idea what came over me."

He stayed in place and allowed the anger to wash out of him. Warily he stepped forward, while I stepped back. He frowned, but kept coming forward. I stopped moving back and let him take me into his arms.

He smiled sadly at me and hugged me tightly to his chest. "I shouldn't have let it get to me. It's not your fault. Don't blame yourself." He carried me to a nearby fallen log and sat me on his lap.

"It is starting to get more difficult to fight off instinct. No wonder Aro, Marcus, and Caius gave in centuries ago. It is becoming increasingly painful to fight. I have no idea how much longer I can do this. I am going to lose it one of these days and when that happens…you have to promise to do away with me Edward." He ran his hand through my hair and told me to hush and that that day would never come about. He would always be there to help and protect me.

'_There is some poetic irony in that, don't you believe?' _I thought. He laughed slightly and slid me off his lap so that I was sitting next to him. To think that someone as terribly powerful as me needing protection was laughable.

'_Leah and Jacob, huh?'_

'_Edward, I—'_ He cut me off before I could finish off my thought.

'_It's fine. In all actuality, I don't want him to be with Renesmee if he's not completely devoted to her. It wouldn't be the gentlemanly thing to do if he's marrying my daughter and still thinking of Leah._' He sighed. _'It won't be easy, GenGen.'_

'_I know, Mase, I know.' _We sat in what seemed like a never ending silence, thinking of all that was to come. There were so many things that would jeopardize everything that has been achieved, coming to destroy it all, and it seemed as if Leah and I were the causes of them all. I was careful to block these thoughts from Edward. It was not time for his world to come crashing down. Yet.

"Let's head home, shall we? I'm sure you're wolf-boy is anxious to have you back in his arms." Edward snickered.

I rolled my eyes at him. "I doubt it. He and Emmett are too far gone with that game that they barely even register anything outside of its reality. It is quite sad, really." We both laughed and ran back to the Cullen's home. When we got back, the boys were still playing Call of Duty and Emmett had an air of frustration to him.

"He hasn't seemed to get one kill. It's so strange, actually. He's usually much better." Jasper said with a huge smirk on his face.

"Cheater." Jasper was using his ability to throw off Emmett's concentration. Ah, boys will be boys, I suppose. I stayed with Edward and discussed random topics of interest as we tried to block out Emmett's colorful language. In the end, it was a bit rather too much for me to ignore anymore and I excused myself to get some fresh air.

"You don't need to breathe, Genevieve." Seth said matter-of-factly.

"And this would be the perfect to start doing so. Now, if you'll excuse me, I shall return in a short while." Edward was about to join me when Emmett pulled him into a bear hug, telling him that he was not going to escape so easily. I waved at his pleading self and went outside.

I walked a ways away from the Cullen's home and felt glad at the silence that I was able to enjoy in. However, all good things must come to an end.

"I thought I smelled a conniving shrew." I looked up into the branches of the tree to my right and, lo and behold, there was she was.

Isabella "Bella" Cullen.

* * *

Bella's P.O.V

"You're going to ruin everything. Everything that we've built while you've both been gone!" No, I wasn't going to let this happen. After so many trials and tribulations, everyone was finally happy and getting along. Finally there was peace. They just wanted to destroy it, and I sure as hell was not going to stand idly by while they did it.

"Ruin what, Bella?! Ruin the _fake_ peace you _think _you have created?! Did you really think I was not going to find out about what you did?! What kind of mother and friend are you?" She spat at me, her eyes becoming a glowing crimson red.

"Genevieve, please, listen to me. I care about my daughter more than anything and I love Jacob very much. And because I love them I had to do whatever was in my power to make them happy. Jacob was miserable, and so I explained and reminded Renesmee that they were made for each other, so maybe she should attempt to enforce their bond. Renesmee being happy depends on Jacob's happiness. I did it for the _both _of them. You have to understand, Genevieve."

I backed away from her slowly. Genevieve was dangerous and if I angered her, she wouldn't hesitate to attack me. She had centuries of fighting under her belt, according to Carlisle. One wrong move and I'm dead. A fierce growl erupted from her and I got ready for a fight. If she made the first move, then I would have a justifiable reason to fight back. That's it! Her death would be the answer to all of this! No more Genevieve, meant no more plans to separate Renesmee and Jacob.

Genevieve laughed menacingly and the next thing I knew I was being pushed deep into the damp earth. No! Dammit! I couldn't move. I was completely under her mercy.

"Did you really think that you could _attempt_ to kill me? Stupid girl. Remember, _dearest Bella_, I am not Edward. I can easily read your mind. Now, you _will_ listen to me and do as I say."

I tried to get up but she only pushed me down harder. "And why the _hell_ should _I _do what _you _say?"

"Because if you refuse, I shall completely erase all evidence of your existence from everyone you love and care about. I wonder how it would feel knowing that they have no idea who you are, but you remember exactly who they are. The frustration and the angst that you would feel would be almost unbearable. Driving you to the point of insanity."

Would she really? No. Genevieve wasn't that cruel, was she? I looked up at her and noticed that she wasn't lying. Her face gave no way to her emotions, but her crimson red eyes told me the answer to my question. She was letting me off easy if I didn't obey her.

"Well, now that I see you understand that I am quite serious, you will do as I say. This conversation, never happened. The fact that I have you pushed into the ground like this, never happened. I never saw you today, and you never saw me. Understand?" She allowed me to stand. I gave a meek nod and she nodded back.

"Go against me if you like, Bella. Try to stop me if you so wish it. I have all eternity." And with that she ran away leaving me alone to weigh my options. Jake _had_ to love Renesmee. That's what the whole point on imprinting was. They were bound to each other for all of eternity. Nothing could break it. Right? Genevieve was just trying to scare me. She sure as hell did a good job of it though.

* * *

Seth's P.O.V

"Um…why are you all wet Genevieve?" I was pretty sure she was completely dry when she left.

"Oh, I just wanted to go for a swim. The water looked ever so inviting and I just jumped in." She explained.

"With all of your clothes on?" I asked her amusedly.

"Would you rather I had gotten naked and risked one of your pack brothers seeing me?" She had a point. No way in _hell_ were Embry or Quil going to see her naked. Much less the guys from Sam's pack. The pups in Sam's pack were used to seeing the Cullen girl's and their beauty, so they were pretty much immune to their charms. However, Genevieve was a different story. _Everything_ about her enticed a person, and the pups wouldn't be able to respect her privacy.

"You can go upstairs and borrow some of Alice's clothes if you'd like, Genevieve. I'm sure she wouldn't mind." Jasper offered her. She thanked him and ran up the stairs to change. I beat Emmett for the millionth time and got up to let Jasper have a go at him. It was getting late and I had to go to that stupid bonfire with Leah. Always forcing me to do the shit I don't want to do. Some things never change.

I smelled Genevieve behind me before she wrapped her arms around my waist. "Boo!"

"Oh someone help me! Please! A monster! No…worse…a _vampire_!" I yelled in mock horror. Everyone starting cracking up as I went to go cower in a corner. Genevieve crouched down and pounced on me, playing along with me.

"Look into my _eyes_! You are now under my power and control! Mwuahaha!" I couldn't helped but laugh at her horrible accent and evil laugh. Emmett was on the floor cracking up. Jasper and Edward looked like they might cry from our antics, if only they _could _cry.

"Come, oh scary vampire, it's getting late and the bonfire's about to start." I pulled Genevieve off of me and stood up.

"Yes, I suppose it is time for us to take our leave. Alice and Rosalie should be back shortly, they just left Leah at her house."

"It was nice hanging out with you guys again. I really missed it." I told them sincerely.

"Anytime you're up for an ass whooping, you know where to come." Emmett joked. I rolled my eyes at him. We said our goodbyes and promised to come back soon.

I took Genevieve's hand in mine and walked through the forest back home. I tried walking as slow as possible, trying to bask on what an awesome day today was. I was pretty sure that the bonfire was going to end the good mood I was in. Genevieve tugged on my arm, indicating that she knew what I was doing, but she wasn't going to have any of that.

"It will be fun. Trust me. Plus, Jacob will not be there. I made sure of that."

I raised an eyebrow at her. "And what is that supposed to mean? You sound like you killed him."

She laughed. "Of course not, silly boy. I told him not to go to the Cullen's until later tonight. That way, he would miss the bonfire."

"Tsk tsk tsk. That wasn't very nice." I told her playfully.

"I was only doing it for you….and Leah. I thought it best for them not to run into each other so soon." I had to agree. Lee wasn't ready to see Jake again, and after what she told us that she said to Jake, he wasn't ready for another confrontation either.

I sighed. "Yeah, this is going to be one _hell_ of a show, Genevieve. I just hope you know what you're doing."

"Me too." She whispered so softly that I almost didn't hear her.

---

When we got back, Lee was sitting on top of the counter eating a bowl of cereal.

"Lee, would you get your furry ass off of the counter. Some people eat on top of that, you know." She shot me a glare and hopped off the counter. She sauntered over to me and smacked the back of my head out of nowhere. "What the hell?! Why'd you hit me? I didn't do anything."

"That's what you get for trying to tell me what to do _and_ for not telling me that you love Genevieve." I didn't have to look at her to see the smirk that was plastered on her face. How in the hell did she know?

"If you're wondering, I saw you two walking back home holding hands. How very subtle of you,_ little brother_." Ugh. Of course. Lee just _had_ to find out like that. She always did have a knack for seeing the wrong thing at the wrong time. "Now get dressed, Seth. Bonfire time. And don't think that you're going to be able to get away that easily." She smiled and winked at me.

'_Is there any way that you can get me out of this? Please!' _I looked pleadingly at Genevieve, but she merely shook her head.

"No way. It will be good for you. I believe it is time for you to reconnect with your brother's." She kissed my cheek and followed Lee into her room.

I got dressed and waited for the girls outside. I wondered how Lee really felt about me and Genevieve. I mean, she didn't really give me any real reason to think she didn't like us together, but at the same time she didn't exactly congratulate us. What if she was up in her room tearing Genevieve apart? I felt a bit of panic start to build up, but it all dissipated when Lee and Genevieve came outside, unscathed.

"Tearing me apart? Now really, Seth, did you think your sister was going try to kill me because you and I are together?"

Lee rolled her eyes. "Seth, why would I hurt Genevieve? I actually think she's good for you. You need a strong woman like her in your life. But, take note of this, if you hurt her, there will be no place for you to hide. Got it?" She growled at me.

"I got it. Sheesh!" And here I thought my own _sister_ was going to say something like that to Genevieve and have her brother's back. I sighed. Sometimes I thought Lee came out backwards or something. Genevieve jabbed me in the ribs when Lee turned around. _'Hey, that wasn't very nice.'_

'_Yes, well, refrain from saying your sister came out wrong and then I will be nice to you.'_ She projected her thoughts to me.

'_Sorry.'_ I gave her an apologetic smile and she nodded.

We walked down the sandy walkway, heading to First Beach. Okay, seriously? The beach? I dressed up just to get sand in my jeans? Ugh. Why couldn't the bonfire just be at Sam's house, _like it always is!?_

"Stop complaining and try to have some fun. You kind of need some fun in your life, you know. Plus, this is not only for you." Genevieve whispered. She pointed at Lee and I had to reluctantly agree. It was going to be somewhat annoying and difficult, but what the hell? Lee needed to have some fun with the pack, and what's a few hours?

_Oh, joy._

_

* * *

_

**Yay! Seth has a scary as hell (when she wants to be) vampire girlfriend! He he. Ah yes, GenGen and Mase. The most informal that the two of them would _ever_ be with each other. Just shows how close they really are with each other. Sorry if Seth was a little whiney. Kinda had to make him only a _tiny_ bit like that. Again, Bella does not have my love. **

**Hope you guys liked it. Read and Review my lovelies! Con amor, C.S.  
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	11. Time to Wake Up

**Disclaimer: ****I do not own Twilight or any of its characters. **

**A.N: Wow, I totally suck. Yeah, I know. HOWEVER! I have this and two other chapters ready for you guys to enjoy. No excuses for my late updates, so I won't even bother. Well, this is an interesting chapter and explains why Genevieve is all pissed at Bella. Plus, an character I don't think you guys saw coming starts to play a role in all of this. Can you guess who? **

**Well, enjoy this chapter. :DD  
**

* * *

**Time to Wake Up**

Bella's P.O.V

_It had been around a month or so since Genevieve had come to visit with us and I still didn't know anything about her. Well, that wasn't exactly true. I _did _know that she didn't really think Renesmee was as special as the rest of us thought she was. She thought that _Leah Clearwater_ was much more interesting. As if there was anything interesting about _her_. _

_The little act that she put up around everyone wasn't fooling me, though. Leah was a scorned woman who would forever wallow in her own misery. I couldn't understand how Jacob could stand to be around her. She was an anomaly who deserved all the pain and suffering she went through. Karma was the driving force behind all of the circumstances leading up to Leah's painful existence. At first I sympathized with her, but then I saw her for the bitch she really was. In reality, her pack brother's would probably be better off without her. She was faster than them, sure, but she wasn't that strong of a fighter. Hell, I was probably a better fighter than her. _

"_Hello Bella, how are you today?" I looked up from my seat on the porch and saw Genevieve smiling down at me. Every time I looked at her, I couldn't help but stare into her eyes. Her golden tanned skin made her intensely azure eyes stand out even more, making her look innocent, yet intimidating. Her features were so perfect and alluring, as any vampire should be, but what surprised me was that she was able to draw the wolves _and_ vampires in to her. It was a bit strange and made me wary of her, but I supposed if Edward trusted her I would too. _

"_Hey, um, Genevieve. I'm doing okay. How about you? How are you liking Forks?" I asked awkwardly. _

"_It is a much danker place than where I usually live, but it is quite lovely. The scenery is truly breathtaking. I can see why you have all decided to stay longer than you usually do." She smiled softly and stared off to where Renesmee and Jacob were play fighting. _Leah_ was around the area as well. She_ _had phased and was laying down by the edge of the forest, with her head resting on top of her paws. _

"_She really is a remarkable creature. I believe I have never had the pleasure of seeing someone so extraordinary as her, in my long existence." I looked at her and smiled brightly. Finally! She was taking notice of Renesmee. _

"_Yes, Renesmee is very talented for her age. She was only about three months when she began reading Shakespeare and Hawthorne. Recently, we've started teaching her different languages. Carlisle has been teaching her Italian and French, and Edward speaks Portuguese and Spanish. She'll be fluent in them in no time. We'll probably begin on arithmetic sometime soon." I beamed brightly at Renesmee and looked at Genevieve only to see that she wasn't looking at Renesmee after all. _

"_What? Oh, yes I am quite certain that Renesmee will be adequately nurtured and taught. However, I was actually talking about the young wolf girl, Leah. A lone female wolf in a large pack of wolves. Fascinating."_

_I frowned. "Yeah, I guess. She used to be part of the other pack until Jacob broke off and became Alpha of his pack. He named her Beta, so she's definitely gone up in rank significantly."_

"_Amazing. She really has an incredible amount of potential. With some training, she would, without a doubt, be a force to be reckoned with. Now it is apparent to me why the young Alpha chose her to be his mate." _

_I stared at her in shock. "Excuse me? His…mate?" She diverted her attention to me and took in my horrified face. She raised an eyebrow and nodded. "I think you're mistaken, Genevieve. They have no feelings for each other. I mean, the very idea of Jacob and Leah together is laughable." _

"_That is rather odd, then. They always seem to be in each others thoughts. They are pretty good at hiding them, but I can hear them quite clearly. _

"_But, h-he imprinted on Renesmee. He can't have feelings for Leah. It's impossible!" I raised my voice slightly and she gave me an apologetic look._

_Jacob and Leah? No. She had to be wrong. You had to practically be institutionalized if you thought that Jacob and Leah would have feelings other than respect and playful annoyance for each other. Once Jacob saw Renesmee, every other woman in his life became significantly less important; romantically at least. _

"_I did not mean to upset you, Bella. Jacob and Leah seemed to have some rather intensely strong connection and I did not see Jacob in Renesmee's future. I mean, in the love sense. Nahuel seems to be the one who fills in that role, you see."_

"_A-are you s-sure?" I stuttered. _

_She nodded. "Yes. I am able to see Renesmee's future much more clearly than Alice is able to. The wolves are still murky, though I do see them briefly if I concentrate hard enough. In my visions, Renesmee seems ecstatic with Nahuel. For the most part, she never seems to have one day in which her smile is not as bright as it is at this very moment. Nahuel will make a good husband for her. The perfect husband for your young treasure." She smiled softly at me. _

"_I see." _

_Nahuel was Renesmee's future. Not Jake. _

Not Jake.

_No._

_I wouldn't accept that. Jake and Renesmee were destined to be with each other for their entire lives. If Jake wasn't in Renesmee's life, then he wouldn't be in mine. The pros of having Jacob and Renesmee together meant that I would have him in my family forever. If Leah came into the picture, I'd lose him. _

"_Um, Genevieve, maybe we should keep this information to ourselves for now. It's a lot to take in, and if you were to tell Jacob, there's no telling what he'd do. I mean, it's very possible that he might go all the way to South America just to make sure that the future you see never comes true." I couldn't exactly think of a plan at the moment. It wasn't that I couldn't, more that I shouldn't. If Genevieve was able to see the future like Alice, then I would just have to make things up as I go. Quick and, probably, rash decisions. It was the only way to keep Renesmee and Jacob together. _

_She eyed me suspiciously. Crap! Edward told me that she had multiple gifts. The fact that she can see the werewolves and Renesmee better than Alice made me worry. She was strong, and though I didn't exactly have anything to confirm it, I was pretty sure she would be able to pierce my shield if she wanted. I started to recite the alphabet over and over to try and shield my mind somewhat. _

"_I…suppose so." She stood from her previous seat and left to go talk with Leah. _

_I continued to watch Jacob and Renesmee and I couldn't fathom how in the world the imprint would be broken. Fate and nature made it out so that both of them would be together until the end of eternity and not have to go through pain and heartache, like Leah. She didn't deserve someone as caring as Sam, and that's why fate and nature worked together to give him Emily. And just like Sam, Leah didn't deserve my, er, Renesmee's Jacob. _

_I looked over to the area where Leah and Genevieve were. The look of understanding and compassion in each other's eyes made me come to the conclusion that I couldn't trust Genevieve, much less Leah. I'd rather have the Volturi rip me limb from limb than have Leah and Jake together. _

_Now to find a way to make sure that what Genevieve predicted never came to be. _

_---_

_Leah and Genevieve had been gone for about three years and I decided that it was finally time to make sure that Genevieve's vision never came to pass. Jake still spent his time mourning the disappearance of Leah and actually seemed to become more distanced from Renesmee than was comfortable. It was time that he moved on. _

"_Renesmee, sweetie, let's talk for a minute. It's something important."_

"_Of course, mother." _

_I sat down next to her on the couch in our cottage. Edward was out hunting, so I knew I would have time to talk to her without any prying ears. Sometimes being a vampire and having vampire siblings made it difficult for anything to be kept secret._

"_What did you want to speak to me about, mother?" _

"_Sweetie, you know that Jacob hasn't been the same ever since the departure of his Beta, right?" She nodded sadly. " And you love him dearly, don't you?" _

"_Of course! He's my best friend. It hurts me to see him so sad. I wish that there was something I could do to help him out of this rut. It's been almost three years." I smiled at her concern. _

"_Well, actually, there is something that you might be able to do, but…" I looked away. I didn't necessarily like baiting my own daughter like this, but it was for her own good. _

"_Oh mother, please tell me! I'll do anything to see my Jacob happy." She pleaded with me. She looked so concerned over Jacob. I wondered for a moment if what I was doing was worth it. 'Nahuel will make a good husband for her. The perfect husband for your young treasure.' Nahuel, not Jacob. Was what I was about to do worth the guaranteed happiness of my own _daughter_? But…Jacob was just as important as her, and what if Leah never came back? He'd continue on the same path he is now. _

_I turned back to her and indulged her curiosity and concern. "Sweetie, do you remember that Jacob imprinted on you when you were a baby, right?" She nodded. "That's an impenetrable bond, Renesmee. Nothing could break it, and if you acted upon your bond, you'd be able to make him happy." _

_She furrowed her eyebrows and frowned slightly. "But…I don't love him in _that_ way. I see him as an older brother or one of the uncles. And besides…he loves Leah. I couldn't possibly replace her, and I don't want to."_

_I frowned at her. "Sweetie, you're his soul mate. Not Leah. You were both made for each other. If he was supposed to be with Leah, don't you think that he would have imprinted on her?" _

"_I…guess."_

"_Give it a chance, okay? It was meant to happen. You might not feel it now, but you will someday. Besides, he needs you right now. You're probably the only person that can help him." _

"_I'll try. Mother…w-why did Leah leave?" I honestly didn't know. It had to do with Genevieve, that's all I knew for certain. _

"_I'm not sure. Genevieve is involved somehow. If you ever see her again, you must be cautious of her and Leah as well. We don't know in what way Genevieve has brainwashed her." _

"_Do you think she may have kidnapped her?" _

"_I-I'm not sure, sweetie. But let's forget about them, okay? Be careful around your father, though. He still doesn't like the fact that Jacob imprinted on you. Don't let him see your thoughts until you're absolutely certain." She nodded and I left her to contemplate everything I said. _

_Was it wrong to want my best friend and daughter to fall in love with each other, even though I was already told that Renesmee would be more than happy with Nahuel as her husband? Of course. But…I was just doing what nature intended. Everyone would thank me for it later…I hoped. _

_

* * *

_

I headed towards the meadow that Edward used to always take me to. Edward didn't come here as often anymore, but I came here every once in a while when I needed some time alone to think. Right now, I had a lot to think about.

Genevieve and Leah were back, and Genevieve knew what I did. But that didn't matter, Leah was no competition for Renesmee, even if there was something different about her. Renesmee had grown into a beautiful young woman, who could rival Rosalie's beauty.

But Leah…yes, there was definitely something different about her, but I couldn't quite pinpoint it. Her eyes didn't hold the same empty meaning they used to. They seemed…determined, healed, and much stronger. Eyes of a _true wolf,_ not the pathetic excuse of the wolf she once was.

Something was different about her. And it_ scared_ me.

* * *

Leah's P.O.V

When we got to First Beach, some of the guys were off to the side playing football and I suggested to Seth that he should go join them. He grumbled and outwardly refused to get anywhere near them. I sighed and headed towards Emily and the other imprints. If Seth wanted to act like a baby, then by all means.

From the corner of my eye, I saw Genevieve scold Seth and narrow her eyes at him. She pointed to the other boys and he marched to where they were, with Genevieve following him. I laughed slightly. He was so whipped.

"Leah! Embry mentioned you were going to come tonight. I'm glad you did." Emily smiled broadly and I smiled back.

It was weird, I guess you could say. A few years ago, I hated Emily and Sam with my entire being. Sam imprinting on Emily ripped me apart from the inside out. I lost the only man I ever loved to someone I considered to be my sister. The pain nearly destroyed me. I laughed inwardly at the past. Looking back, it all seemed so stupid. My bitterness, my anger, my resentful feelings towards them; everything just a distant memory. Guess I had to thank Genevieve for that.

"Yeah. Thought I'd spend some time with the pack, seeing as I haven't really seen you guys since the day I got back. So, how is everyone?"

"Eh, same old. You know, getting up in the morning, getting ready for work, coming home and having to give my husband a flea bath…"

"Hey! I do not have fleas!" Paul yelled. Rachel hasn't changed at all. Well, except for the fact that she looked slightly more mature. All her girlish features were gone and in place were the features of a woman.

"Oh! Leah, this is—" Emily was interrupted by a girl who I didn't realize.

"Alexa! Er, I mean, hello my name is Alexa. It's nice to meet you Leah. Embry's told me so much about you. You're the Beta in the pack right? Wow, you must be pretty ferocious to hold such a position. It's so amazing that you're the only female wolf in both packs. You must be really special." I stared at the girl who blurted out what was on her mind nervously. She had long chestnut hair that reached down to her hips. From her russet-colored skin, I guessed she was probably Makah, since I knew everyone here and I was certain I'd never seen her before. Her eyes were a hazel green with tints of gold around the iris and she looked to be around Emily's height.

I laughed softly at her. "It's nice to meet you too, Alexa. So, you're the one who's taken Embry's heart, huh?"

She blushed slightly. "I, er, um, s-suppose I have?" I laughed again and went up to her and gave her a hug.

"Don't be so nervous. There's no need for it. You're surrounded by family." She smiled and nodded her head. Imprinting was not one of my favorite subject, but it wasn't like I would go off on a rant about it. I'd gotten over my own experience with it and I didn't feel like it was necessary to cause any grief over it.

"Well, who would have thought that _the_ Leah Clearwater was actually nice?" I glared at Kim playfully and she returned the gesture.

I looked around the fire and noticed that Claire was missing. "Hey, where's Claire? Shouldn't she be here?" To my surprise and confusion, Rachel and Kim started giggling.

Emily sighed. "Don't mind them. She was supposed to come tonight but she had to go to a friend's birthday party. It was a costume party actually. She dressed up as Little Red Riding Hood. And, well, you know that Quil can't be away from her so…"

"He had to dress up as a wolf! But that's not the best part! His costume was a little scary for the kids at the party, so Claire's mom had to 'cute it up'. She made the eyes all big and anime-looking, made the nails of the hands blunt and painted them red. And, and, and she gave him a humongous pink bow to wear!" Rachel snickered.

Kim calm down from her laughing fit and continued. "Oh, but it gets better. Claire mentioned that the wolf wasn't wearing any clothes, so they gave him some white shorts to wear and a red vest."

"Don't forget the wooden clogs!"

I giggled at the image of Quil in a wolf costume, all cute and pink. I'd pay anything to see him right now. I was _so _going to bother him about that for a long time to come.

The laughter died down and an awkward silence overtook us. I knew what they wanted to ask, but I wasn't going to be the one who initiated that conversation. So, I waited to see who would be the first one to muster up enough courage to ask. Surprisingly, it was Alexa who asked.

She turned to me and looked anywhere but my eyes. "So, um, Leah, I was just, um, wondering…w-where have you been all these years?"

"Oh I was just…traveling and stuff." My answer was _extremely_ vague, but it's not like I could tell them what was _really _going on. It wasn't time. Plus, I didn't want to freak them out so soon.

"Stuff? What _kind_ of stuff?" Rachel asked.

"Just stuff."

Rachel eyed me suspiciously before speaking again. "Uh huh. Well, you're going to have to tell us eventually, Clearwater. Don't think I'm going to forget." I nodded at her and thankfully she dropped the subject. For now.

We chatted for a while, waiting for the guys to finish their game. I learned that Rachel had gone back to school a year after I left and got a Master's in Psychology. She was hoping on opening up a practice in Port Angeles or Seattle. Kim told me that she finished college recently and was going to start working as a Chemistry teacher at Forks High School. Alexa had been accepted to Cornell early and was planning on going next fall.

I sighed. "I envy you guys, a little. You guys get to lead normal lives and do normal _human _things. Guess I got the short end of the stick, huh?"

"Aww, come on Leah. You have it so much better than us. Amazing strength, speed, and senses. If anything, it's us that should be envious of you. We may be human, but don't forget that just makes us vulnerable and fragile. Humans can be so easily broken, it's like we're made of glass. And since when has Leah Clearwater ever wanted to be treated like a fragile piece of glass?

"I'm not going to lie and say life hasn't screwed you over, but that's just another thing that's made you stronger. You have friends and family who care about you deeply, and a pack that would do anything for you. You get to share your thoughts and feelings, even if you don't like to, with a group of guys who will be your brothers forever. I'm jealous of you Leah, because they know you better than we _ever_ will. I'm jealous because you get to have this bond with them, one that we won't ever be able to share, even as their imprints. Think of it like this, sometimes sacrifices must be made to reap the rewards, even if they don't seem that fair at the beginning."

I hadn't really thought of it like that. I had never wanted to be thought of us someone who needed to be protected, like Bella. I always took chances, no matter how risky they were and I never back backed out of anything. I refused to look weak and vulnerable, but being human in the world that we lived in would have made me exactly that. In some ways, being a wolf was more of a blessing than a curse.

"Yeah, I guess you're right Rachel. I'm always to preoccupied with the negatives that I never think of the positives. But, that still doesn't mean I enjoy the fact that I turn into a giant fur ball when I get angry."

"A fur ball as soft and gentle as a kitten. Fights like one too." I glared at Paul as he came up walking with the rest of the guys from their game.

"Oh, I've missed you _so _much, Paul." I said sarcastically. There was no amount of training that Genevieve could give me that would ever help me gain enough patience when it came to Paul. When we were in the pack together, I would get a kick out of fighting with him. Sure he was much stronger than I was, but I always had a sharp mind. One little comment from me and Paul was usually down for the count. But, as much as the tool annoyed the crap out of me, I missed him. He was one of the only few people who actually had the balls to fight back when I chastised him and I respected him in a weird way for it.

"Yeah, of course you have. How could you not?" He smirked. "So, Clearwater, you actually planning on staying around this time or are you going to skip out of town when things get tough again?"

Seth growled fiercely. "Watch your fucking mouth, _Paul_, before I fucking rip it off!" I looked at Seth and saw his entire body was shaking, fists clenched tightly. If looks could kill, Paul would have burst into flames by now.

"What are you going to do about it, pup? Run to your Alpha? Oh…wait. You can't. He's probably off somewhere, fucking around with his _precious_ half-leech. And to think he could've almost been doing that with your _sister_. Once second best, always second best. "

Paul's words hit me hard. I felt as if someone had reached in through my chest and gave a hard squeeze to my heart. The tears were stinging my eyes, but I would be damned if I cried. The thought of Jacob being with Renesmee made me want to run away. I looked at Seth and noticed he was about ready to rip Paul to shreds. The pain was suddenly replaced by fear for my brother. Things were about to get bad.

"Enough!" Sam bellowed. "Paul, how dare you say those things? How dare you disrespect Leah? You have no right to say that! I don't want to hear another word from you. Leave." The last bit was the Alpha command. The boys in Sam's pack shuddered, but Paul didn't move at all from his spot. He glared at Sam, and the amount of anger in his eyes would have made any normal human cower in fear.

Suddenly, he shook his head and looked around at all of us, strangely confused. "What? W-what happened?"

"Don't play dumb, you dickless wonder! I'm going to fucking kill you for what you said about Lee!" Seth growled. Paul looked at Seth with a complete look of confusion.

"Paul, what was the last thing that you remember?" Genevieve asked. I looked curiously at her, but she ignored me and focused on Paul.

"I was walking back here with the other guys and I was telling Leah that it was obvious she missed me. I was only playing around. Now, you guys are looking at me as if I committed some type of crime or something." Genevieve nodded.

"Vampire." That was all she said before all the wolves shot up, including Seth and I. "He seems to be getting away. He took over Paul's mind, in an attempt to distract us from his goal. He was trying to hunt the _humans _in La Push. He completely shut down Paul's mind and not even the Alpha command could affect him."

Sam turned to her. "Do you know where he's heading?" She nodded. "Alright then, let's go guys. Genevieve, Jared, Paul, and Collin with me. Four of you stay here with the girls, and the rest of you to La Push."

Sam, Jared, Paul, and Collin phased and took off in the direction of the leech, with Genevieve leading them. The rest of us phased and ran into the reservation to make sure the leech didn't make a snack out of everyone.

'_Anything guys?'_

'_Nothing Lee. Smells like he came close, but not close enough. Something must have driven him off.'_ Seth thought. I sniffed the air, but I could only make out the scent of one leech.

'_Yeah, same here. Well, whatever it was the drove off the leech it's gone now. _

I sighed. _'Yeah, question is, should we be glad or concerned?'_

We headed back to the beach after securing the area. I only hoped that Genevieve, Sam, and the guys were able to catch up to the leech. It seemed that everyone had let their guard's down in the last few years. A leech had never gotten that close to the reservation. Ever. Little did they know, this was only a wakeup call for what was about to come.

"We got him! We showed that bastard not to take over my mind and come anywhere near the reservation!" Paul was the first one to emerge from the forest. He looked proud, yet annoyed at the leech being able to control him so easily. "Um, er, Leah? I-I'm sorry for the crap that I said. Jared showed me what I, er, the leech said and even though I know it wasn't really _me_ saying that, I still feel a little bad." He muttered.

I smiled. "Thank you, Paul. Don't worry about it."

"You didn't have any trouble did you? He didn't hurt you did he?" Seth questioned Genevieve. She told him that she was fine and to stop overreacting. Seth grumbled that he wasn't overreacting and he was only worried. Genevieve smiled at him and gave him a light peck on the cheek. Seth was always a worrywart, but he didn't have to worry that much about Genevieve. She could take care of herself.

Sam told all the wolves that they'd be patrolling a bit more routinely now. As Beta of my pack, I told them that we would be joining them as well. Jacob was going to be too busy with Renesmee and, for the time being, it would be better for me to take the lead. Sam and I were going to come up with a schedule and would meet up tomorrow at noon to hand out the routes and times. We all said our goodbyes and headed back to the reservation.

"Hey, I think I'm going to head on over to the Cullen's after dropping off Alexa and fill Jake in on what happened." Embry said. I nodded at him and headed home with Seth and Genevieve in tow.

"You both need to rest. Try not to get to worked up about all of this. You have both dealt with these situations and it is nothing to be losing sleep over." Genevieve smiled slightly.

"Yeah, I know. Alright, I'm heading up to bed. I'll see you guys in the morning. Night."

"Same here. Night Lee. Genevieve, please don't go anywhere tonight. I'd feel a lot better knowing you were here and not somewhere out there." Seth pleaded.

"Of course, Seth. You have no need to worry. I will be here." _Liar. _I studied her closely the moment she returned with Sam and the guys. If I didn't know her as well as I did, I wouldn't have caught the changes in her demeanor. Her body was slightly tense and her eyes showed the slightest bit of worry in them. She _knew_ what it was that scared that leech off, and she was going to go find it. Without Seth and me.

Relief washed over Seth's face and a glimpse of the old Seth was there for all to see. That was definitely a sight for sore eyes. So carefree and happy; made me wish that I could change the way the past few years had been treating him. He smiled and walked to his room.

"Would you have preferred him go to bed annoyed and a scowl on his face?" She whispered, low enough for only me to hear.

I sighed. _'Of course not. I just don't like lying to him. Are you going to need any help?'_

"No, not at all. Rest up, please? I can handle this on my own. I will leave shortly after I am certain that Seth has completely drifted off." I nodded and headed back up the stairs to my room.

I plopped down on my bed, not bothering to change out of my clothes. It was nice to be back home, even with the underlying circumstances. Sam and the others were probably going to be mad when they found out, but it's not like they really needed to know at the moment. They had been living in peace for such a long time, and they deserved to live it for a little while longer. Tension, paranoia, and irritability were going to be at an all time high, putting everyone in danger of getting hurt. It was best if they didn't know until the last possible minute, when it was _absolutely_ necessary.

Carlisle had occulted this secret, along with Genevieve, from his family, just like I had. They were as much involved in the upcoming battle as the pack's were. There were going to be a lot of pissed off wolves and vampires, that was for sure.

I shook off the thoughts and tried to fall asleep. I wanted no mention of werewolves and vampires or anything else that I had to deal with in the daytime. A dreamless sleep was all I wanted at that moment.

But since when did I ever get what I wanted?

* * *

Genevieve's P.O.V

Seth had fallen fast asleep before I left, while Leah was thinking that neither of the pack's or the Cullen's were going to react to the upcoming news very well.

My visions seemed to confirm that Edward would be infuriated with Carlisle and I for not telling him sooner. Emmett was all too eager to participate and Jasper was only slightly annoyed but was worried about Alice getting hurt. Alice, Rosalie, and Esme all exchanged worried glances between themselves and wondered what the outcome of the battle would hold. Renesmee began to panic over what would happen to Jacob, while Bella wondered if Leah would end up dead but then quickly shook those thoughts away as she realized Leah was her only hope of coming out of this alive.

Asking them to fight would have been like asking them to rip themselves apart and throw their dismembered selves into blazing fire. I sighed. It was not the opportune time to think about such things. I had other matters to tend to.

Sam, Jared, Paul, Collin, and I were able to corner the vampire who had come dangerously close to the reservation. I could not understand what it was that made him leave, after being so close to the reservation. He was quite shaken by the time we got to him and never once did he meet my eyes.

"Is there anything that you want to say to explain your actions on this night? And be wary, young one, your answer may influence how painful your demise shall be."

He seemed to have been trembling and looked even more pale, if that were at all possible. He opened his mouth as if to say something, but quickly closed it and shook his head. I barely had time to dig through his mind before the wolves lunged at the vampire and began to tear off his limbs one by one. It was a gruesome sight, to say the least. The vampires last thoughts made my step falter slightly as I turned from the sight.

'_She wants to see you.' _

I hadn't seen her in centuries but I had known that one day this day would come. I was almost forty miles away from La Push when I stopped. She was here waiting for me and, thankfully, she was alone. I heard her thoughts before I ever saw her.

'_So he wasn't such a waste after all. I'm glad. I was wondering if that idiot would be able to deliver my message before he died.' _

Within a few seconds after hearing that thought, she appeared before me. I might have been able to focus on how she seemed different, and yet entirely the same since the last moment I had seen her, however all I was able to focus on was the pair of crimson eyes that seemed to look right through me.

"Such disregard for the life of your underling. Certainly I have taught you better than that, have I not?"

She smirked. "Of course. However, I've taken a liking to bending the rules every once in a while, just for the fun of it. Boredom strikes every few decades or so, and I'm simply trying to alleviate the feeling before I do something much worse."

I scoffed. "I seem to recall that you are quite capable of doing much worse, even if your so called boredom has been relieved. Now, my dear, would you care to explain to me exactly what you were doing?"

"Like I said, I was only having some fun." She smiled mischievously, but then quickly turned serious. "Word has it, you left a few years back and even took one of the mongrels with you. Not a word from you and the wolf in years and then, out of the blue, you arrive back without so much as a concrete explanation of where you both had been or what you had been doing." I stared at her a bit worriedly. I had opted not to watch La Push and Forks. I should have known that someone was watching and gathering information.

"And where, pray tell, did you gather such information from?" I had to know. This could jeopardize everything that Leah and I had worked for, and the secrecy between Carlisle and I would have been for nothing.

"A bit flustered, old friend? Relax, I sent an informant of my own to watch over your forsaken little town. No one knew about him, except for me. He was much stealthier than I grave him credit for. Being able to evade the wolves and the Cullen's for years, without even the slightest bit of detection; I should have kept him around a bit longer. He was such a good pet, that is, until your _dogs_ killed him. But, no matter. He was just a pawn and as a pawn, he was expendable."

There was a time when she thought that carelessly throwing away a life would accomplish nothing and felt adamant on the issue. But, that was many years ago.

"You know, your arrival caused a bit of a stir in my pet. He refused to go anywhere near Forks or La Push after you arrived." She frowned.

"Ah, I see. For someone so stealthy as you pet was, he was discovered and cornered quite easily. Why do you suppose that is?"

Her frowned turned into a malicious smile and her eyes glinted at my curiosity. "Simple. The moment a pet disobeys its master, it must be punished or it will never learn its lesson. I told him specifically to control that wolf. With enough provocation, I believed that he would possibly be killed by the she-wolf, which would put somewhat of a strain on the wolves. One less experienced wolf for me to worry about, you see." I growled furiously at her. I may not have liked Paul, but she had no right to provoke the others into trying to kill him, especially Leah.

"Calm down, it wasn't for the reason that you think. It was purely out of how much I loathe them. But that's besides the point. I was suspicious of what he would do, so I tailed him and made sure the job was done as I wanted it to be done. My pet decided that he would multi-task and have a quick snack, however, since that was not what I had commanded, he left me no choice but to punish him. He knew what was coming, and he simply ran. I'm certain that's when you realized what had happened to that wolf and you all went rushing to kill my pet. Ah, but it seems that he has redeemed himself slightly since he delivered the message to you. I made sure that that would be his last thought ever." She laughed darkly.

I had enough. I could not stand there and let my memories of her become soiled by the _abomination_ that stood before me. I turned to leave, without uttering a single word to her.

"They're coming soon." I stopped abruptly and turned to face her. Her expression was stoic and her eyes betrayed none of the malice that they held moments ago.

"I—" She cut me off before I was able to speak.

"And they're bringing her with them. Don't think you have too much time, Genevieve. The battle will most likely be during winter. Aro seems to enjoy winter battles quite a lot. The poetic nature and irony of it all, he says. That only gives you a few months. Do with that time as you see fit." She turned and began to walk away. "Goodbye Genna." She called out.

A winter battle. That only gave us five or six months at best. Carlisle and I would have to speak about the best course of action to take. I had hoped that we would have had, at the very least, a year to prepare.

I looked back at the retreating form of the young girl who I would have given anything to protect. There was still some good left in her, tonight only confirmed that for me. But, was it enough?

"Goodbye…Jane." I whispered sadly, knowing the next time that I saw her, we would be on opposing sides.

* * *

**Ah yes, "dear one" has suddenly become a key character in the whole Amaris dilemma. Next two chapters include background on Jane (who I always thought was interesting) and Genevieve. You know, the whole how they came to know each other type of thing. Pretty long so it had to be split up. **

**Hope ya liked it. :D Later haterz. He he j.k.  
**


	12. How Our Story Began

**Disclaimer: I don't own Twilight or any of its characters.**

**A.N: Yay! Chapter 12! WOOT! Ha ha. Well, as I said last chapter, this chapter and the next going to be how Genevieve came to know Jane and how they became 'family.' I'm pretty sure no one thought that Genevieve could be so amazing and not have been in the Volturi. Now on to the story!  
**

* * *

**How Our Story Began**

Jane's P.O.V

"_Hello? Is anyone out there?" I shouted. I was lost in the outer forests of the village and couldn't find my way back home. I should have known that the other children were going to do something cruel to me when they extended an offer for me to play with them. They never allowed me or my brother, Alec, to play with them. _

_Everyone in the village, detested my brother and I, as well as accusing us of practicing witchcraft and blamed us both for any strange occurrences that went on in the village. Their hatred all came down to our lineage and not to any factual proof. _

_My mother's side of the family were descendants of Pagans who refused to convert to Christianity for many years. It was only until my great-great-great grandmother finally accepted Christianity, that my mother's family was alleviated somewhat of the taunts of others. However, even though they had converted, Pagan beliefs and rituals were still widely used in our family but in great secrecy. _

_My father once told us, that Gypsy blood ran through our veins and it was a common fact to the people of the village. My paternal great-grandmother was highly skilled in the Gypsy craft, though this was not a story that was shared with the rest of village, in fear that they would burn down our home in the middle of the night. _

_Ignoring my thoughts of the past, I looked around the forest, but couldn't make heads or tails of where I was. I had been lost for hours and the night was swiftly approaching. These woods were dangerous at night and surviving out here was a miracle in and of itself. Alec was probably out looking for me, but I prayed that he wouldn't wander out here as well. _

"_Please! Is anyone out there? Someone? Anyone?" I had given up hope of ever being found at that point. I had to find some sort of shelter for the night, and so I settled on a nearby fallen log that rested up close to some dense bushes. It didn't give much cover, but it would give me some sense of security. I curled into a ball in the space between the log and bush, thinking that I was the end for me, I would never see my family again. I sobbed as I thought about my imminent death. _

"_What are you doing out here, young one?" A soft voice called to me. I opened my eyes to see a pair of sapphire ones staring at me tenderly. _

"…_I…I'm l-lost." I stuttered. _

_The young woman before me was so picturesque. She had long, straight, raven hair that reached down to her waist and deep sapphire eyes that stood out from her tan skin. She couldn't have been much older than 15 or 16 years of age. _

_She wore a long, cobalt, flowing gown that was accentuated with gold fabric. The corset that she wore was a cobalt with a low rounded neckline. A petticoat over the corset had two loose fitted sleeves attached that went over the chemise, which hung just below her shoulders. The skirt of the dress flowed out from her waistline. Atop of her head, she wore a headdress circlet made of what looked like silver or white gold, and three small azure stones hung from it. The piece that struck me most was the crescent moon she wore around her neck that held two small sapphire stones. Judging from her attire, she was most certainly a noblewoman. _

_She smiled softly at me. "Well, how about I try to help you find your way back home, if that is fine with you?" She held out her hand and I hesitantly took it in mine. I shivered slightly by how cold her hand felt against my own and got up from the ground. _

"_T-Thank you very much. I'm sorry to trouble you, my Lady. I'm certain you have more important things to do than to help a commoner such as myself." _

_She laughed softly. "I have all the time in the world, my dear. What, if I may ask, is your name?" _

"_M-my name? Oh, uh…J-Jane. Yes, Jane." I blushed slightly. She must have noticed in the dim light and laughed softly. Her laughter sounded so melodic and peaceful, I felt completely at ease with her. _

"_Well Jane, my name is Genevieve. It is a pleasure to make your acquaintance. And please, dear Jane, let us speak of no formalities." I nodded, feeling a bit strange at being so informal to a noblewoman. "Now, what is one so young doing in this forest alone? It is quite dangerous out here for someone so young and defenseless." _

_I huffed. "I was playing with the children in my village, but I got separated from them. I know they did it on purpose, though. None of the villagers like me or my brother. They say we're witches, and blame us for everything." We began walking through the forest, as the little light we had was soon replaced by that of the moon. _

_She scoffed. "A witch? Really? Why, that sounds quite preposterous. If you were a witch, you would have easily been able to maneuver yourself home. The nonsense of it all." I smiled widely at her and she ruffled my hair lightly. _

_As we walked, Genevieve and I spoke about my family and friends, my dreams, my goals, and what I wanted to do generally in my life. I confided in her how I hated the idea that my future was going to be limited to being married to a man I probably won't love, and clean up after all the messes that he makes at our home. I told her that she was lucky because of her apparent social status and she could remain alone forever and do what she pleased without a man to tie her down. She looked down sadly at me and told me that life for her was not as easy as I thought it was. I dropped the subject and we continued walking until I saw the telltale signs from the village. _

"_There it is! Oh, thank you so much for helping me, my Lady, er, I mean Genevieve. If it wasn't for you, I might have died out there." I hugged her tightly. _

_She smiled. "You are quite welcome, dear Jane. Now run along, your family must be utterly worried about you." _

"_Would you like to stay with me and my family, Genevieve? I'm sure that they would be honored to house you for the night. I mean, it is quite dark and dangerous out here, something could happen to you." _

"_Do not worry about me, Jane. I know these woods quite well, and I promise you nothing will happen to me." She turned to leave, but before she was out of sight she called out to me. "Goodbye Jane. I hope to see you again someday." _

_I waved at her retreating back and ran back home. I passed a number of villagers and children on my way, and I was able to catch the look of disbelief on their faces. At the moment, I didn't care about them, all I wanted to do was return to my family. _

_When I arrived, I threw open the door to find my mother sobbing in my father's arms, and Alec attempting to console her. They looked up at the noise of the door hitting the wall and the pained looks on their faces were immediately changed to looks of happiness and relief. My mother tore herself from my father and Alec, rushing up to embrace me tightly in her arms. _

_My mother pulled back and stared intently at me. "Jane! I was so worried about you! Sweetheart, I've told you many times that you and Alec must stay away from the villagers and the other children. They only want to hurt you, my love. Please, heed my warning next time. Promise?" _

_I looked at the pained look in my mother's face and reluctantly agreed. She placed a tender kiss onto the top of my head and embraced me once more before my father took me in his arms. _

"_Oh, Jane. Please be more careful next time. If something had happened to you, I don't know what we would have done." He sighed, embracing me still. "Now, I want you and Alec to go up to bed, and from now on, I want both of you to stay together. Understood?" I nodded and looked over at Alec who nodded as well. I gave my father one last hug before running up the stairs, with Alec in tow. _

_After we had gotten settled in bed, Alec turned to me. "Um, Jane, may I ask you a question?"_

"_Of course. What is it you want to know brother?" _

"_Well…how is it that you found your way home? We've never traveled through the forest, and no one from the village ever ventures out there after the sun begins to set. And, even if they were out there, they would never try to help _us_." _

_I giggled. "Oh my dear brother, I was saved by an angel. She found me in the middle of the forest, as I lost all hope of seeing our family ever again. She had long, straight, raven-black hair that cascaded down her back until her waist, and the most clear, sapphire colored eyes that I've ever seen and lightly tanned skin that practically glowed in the dim light. She must have been nobility because she wore the most beautiful cobalt gown that looked very expensive. _

"_She told me that her name is Genevieve, and that she was staying with a nearby acquaintance of hers. She was walking through the forest and she found me. She must have lived in this area before, since she knew exactly where to lead me. I only wish you could have met her. Maybe, she'll be in the forest again and you'll have the chance to see her." _

"_Well, I don't think it would be such a good idea to go back so soon after the scare you gave mother and father, but we could always try in a month or two. I'm certain she'll be around for a few months or so, most visiting noble's stay here for a while anyways." Alec suggested. I nodded happily and drifted off to sleep, dreaming about angels. _

* * *

Genevieve's P.O.V

_We traveled for an entire week before we arrived to our destination in the northeastern area of Italy, somewhere near Austria. The surrounding area was filled with thick, lush vegetation that stretched for miles. I could hear the heartbeats of all the creatures that inhabited the area and I felt relieved that I would not need to travel to far to hunt. My 'family' found it entertaining that I would, time and time again, refuse to partake in their human feasting, however, nothing they ever said would change my mind. _

"_Certainly you won't have that poignant look on your face for our entire stay, will you Genevieve?" I turned my attention to my horrid excuse for a father and stared at him blankly. _

_For the past four hundred years or so, my father attempted to coax me into accepting this life he cursed me with, however, I refused to have my mind swayed. In the back of my mind, there was a voice always telling me to forgive him, for he was simply a newborn and could not distinguish instinct from moral judgment. To quiet the voice, I would always remind it that I was also a newborn many years ago, and I never acted in such a uncivilized manner as to murder a loved one. _

_A light laugh broke me out of my thoughts. "Now, now, Rafaelo, let her enjoy the sights in whichever way she sees fit. If she so wishes to sulk, then by all means." He turned to me and smiled his highly hypocritical smile. _

_Aro; he was much more clever than the other Volturi and the Guard gave him credit for. _

_Yes, it was my father who turned me into what I am today, but it was Aro who turned him. Aro saw so much promise in him, and fortunately for him, he was not mistaken. Telekinesis was my father's forte, and this seemed to intrigue Aro, so much that Aro ordered my father to turn me and see if I held the same potential. Much to his satisfaction, I surpassed all his expectations and was proclaimed to be a goddess of the vampire world, since there was no one quite like me. I told him I did not need such silly titles, but he only told me that it was necessary for others to recognize me in such a way so our 'family' seemed stronger. I relented and agreed to said title. _

_He put me through various tests against the Guard and I passed them all with 'flying colors'. The only member that seemed to give me a slight bit of a challenge was my father. He was able to last a few minutes longer, but not much more than that. I possessed telekinesis as well, but in fear that Aro would decide to dispose of my father, I kept that ability, as well as many others, under my own discretion. No more lives needed to be taken because of me. _

_Aro took a great interest in me and would constantly request my presence so that I could speak about anything that was on my mind. The more we spoke, the more I felt that I was truly beginning to accept what I was and accept Aro as a father figure. There was almost never a moment in which I would not be in Aro's presence. The only exceptions were when it was absolutely necessary for us to feed. _

_From the beginning, I rejected human blood even though it called out to me. Aro found amusement in it and that became one of the subjects of our talks. He was almost successful in convincing me, however, this was before I learned of their feeding habits, and how they would lure unsuspecting humans with promises of food, clothes, shelter, and riches. He would say that it was our birthright to take humans as our food, but I argued that though he and many others chose to do so, they did not have to disgrace the last few moments of these human's lives by giving them this false hope. _

_Eventually it stopped, but only because Heidi had joined the Guard and her gift made it much more simpler to lure humans. Either way, I refused human blood. _

_Ever since that argument ensued between us, I decided that I would not let Aro convince me anymore, no matter what. I would have opted to go through eternity without feeding, however, with the amount of human blood in the castle, it seemed almost impossible to go though with that plan. Aro and the others would goad me, and there were times that I felt as if my will was going to falter but I kept strong by remembering my mother's untimely death._

_In reality, I was another weapon to Aro, and would continue to be his favorite weapon until he found someone more interesting. He was compassionless, which was obvious to me when I read his mind and found it was Aro who killed his own sister and Marcus' wife. There was nothing holding back Aro from killing me if he really wanted to, and the same went for my father. In the time that I had been with them, I had never assisted them in their mindless killings, and due to my stubbornness on the issue, Aro believed it would be good for us all to have a change of scenery for a while. In other words, he believed a new location would convince me to give up my 'silly ways' and do as nature intended. _

_I walked away from the others and got a sense of the area. The forest was alive with animals, and unfortunately, a number of humans. _

"_Aro! How are you, beloved brother? I've not seen you in ages. I was rather surprised when you sent word that you wished to stay in my humble home for an undisclosed amount of time. But, no matter, you are quite welcome here." The woman who greeted Aro was rather young, she did not look to be older than her mid-twenties. Her dirty blonde hair was pulled back into a tight and intricate design, as was the fashion. She wore a long burgundy gown with white and gold accents._

_Aro, in his usual fashion, smiled brightly at the woman. "Liliana, it's so good to see you. I apologize for the rather abrupt notice. I hope it doesn't put a damper on any possible plans you may have had coming up." _

"_No, no, of course not." _

"_Very well. Liliana, I'd like to present to you one of my more guarded secrets." He turned his head towards me and nodded for me to join him. "This is the lovely and greatly talented Genevieve, my young goddess, if you will." _

_She gazed into my eyes for what seemed like an eternity. "She's quite powerful, I'll say. Here I am, trying to alter her negative views on me, and yet I can't seem able to. Very powerful indeed. Well, let me introduce myself, I am Liliana da Lugano. It's a pleasure to make your acquaintance, Genevieve. I hope you will enjoy your stay." I nodded at her and walked behind Aro and the others to the castle. _

_A few hours after our arrival, Aro and the others were being entertained by Liliana while I chose to wander the castle. It was very beautiful and it was apparent that Liliana was very meticulous in its maintenance. Everything was in its place, and there looked to be not a speck of dust in the entire castle. The castle we had in Volterra was much more beautiful than Liliana's, yet hers was very quaint and comfortable. _

_I sighed. "Generally, stalking is a practice that is done covertly and stealthily, which apparently you are neither of the two. Oh, and please do not pretend as if you are not there, because you are all but screaming your thoughts at me." _

_A husky voice boomed through the hallways. "A mind reader? Well, that's definitely something new. Liliana informed me that one of our guests was able to know a persons entire history only by touch. But, I'm guessing you are not said guest, am I correct?" _

"_You are. Now, would you please do me the favor and come out of hiding. Speaking to the shadows is not very appealing to me." _

_A second later, the owner of the voice appeared in front of me. He stood before me and I noticed that he was very tall, he was built muscular yet lean, and his eyes glowed the same crimson red as the others. He wore his dark chestnut hair loose, which reached his shoulders. His olive complexion was indicative that he may have been from southern Italy; it was a bit difficult to tell._

_He bowed and smiled at me. "How do you do, signorina? Please, forgive me for following you. I meant no offense by it, I give you my word." _

"_There is nothing to forgive, I promise you. What is your name?"_

"_Demetri da Lugano, I'm quite certain you've met my cousin Liliana." I nodded. "Yes, I do apologize if my cousin attempted to use her powers on you. She's been forceful like that since she was human." He smiled a bit sadly. "What, pray tell, is your name, signorina?" _

_I smiled politely at Demetri. "Genevieve Montessori. Now, may I ask what exactly you were doing following me? And, how were you able to follow me? I hid my scent, no one should have been able to detect it." I often hid my scent so as to not be disturbed; was I slacking in my abilities?_

_He smiled sheepishly at me. "Oh, er, well, you see…um I'm a tracker. However, my tracking ability works a tad differently than most. I'm able to get the feel of a person's mind, and track it wherever they go. It does not matter where you may go, once I've had the feel of your mind, there's nowhere that you can hide. When you and your family arrived, I hid in the forest far enough away where I could get a feel for everyone." _

_I stared at Demetri with wide eyes. That was definitely an ability that I had never heard of before. It might pose a problem for me in the future, especially if Aro discovers it. Panic filled me as I realized that Aro may force Demetri to join us. Another vampire who would be forced out of their families to join ours. _

"_I-I see. That is a very interesting ability, I must say. I believe I have never seen anything like it in a-all of my years." I stuttered._

"_Thank you, signorina. I hope that Aro accepts it as something worthwhile. Liliana spoke to me about him, and told me that he accepts only the most talented in his family. She said that it would be a great honor for her and for me to be accepted by him." _

_I looked at him sadly. "Demetri, you must now that if Aro accepts you—" _

"_Genevieve, we have been searching everywhere for you." I looked over and saw the annoyed face of Caius. He was very indifferent towards me, for the most part. There were a few times that he seemed to take an interest in me, but those times were very short-lived. "Come now, child, Aro is expecting us in the dining hall." I turned back to look at Demetri and gave him an apologetic smile. I would speak with him at another time, and hopefully before Aro learned of his gift. _

_Caius, Demetri, and I arrived at the dining hall to see Aro and the others chatting with each other. Demetri quickly took his place by Liliana, as Caius went to take his beside Aro. _

"_Genevieve, my dear, we have been waiting for you." Aro exclaimed in his endless cheery mood. _

_I looked at him quizzically. "Oh? And for what reason, if I may ask?" _

"_To feast." _

_Suddenly, the doors of the dining hall opened to reveal a group of humans, awaiting their doom. I could hear their hearts beating frantically; the looks of horror and panic were clearly etched on their faces and their minds betrayed the thoughts that there was no manner in which they would escape this room alive._

_I gave Aro a disgusted looked before I left as far as possible from the scene. _

_Eventually, I found myself somewhere deep within the forest, miles from Aro and the others. Their little indulgence would be over soon, however, the smell of blood would linger for hours. Aro enjoyed these games he played with me, but these games were going to end all too soon for him. _

"_Please! Is anyone out there? Someone? Anyone?" I heard a trembling voice yell. From the sound of the voice, it was a young child, apparently lost in the forest. Her mind was filled with thoughts of never going back to see her family and being ripped apart by some animal out here. She had given up hope. The anguish that was rolling off of the child was almost too much to bear. I had to help her. _

_I found the child curled up between a fallen log and bush. "What are you doing out here, young one?" My voice must have startled the poor child as she nearly jumped a few feet in the air. I could hear her heart pounding within her chest. Her attire made it obvious to me that she was from a nearby peasant village. Her brown hair was plastered to her face, and her angelic eyes were wide with relief and a bit of fear. _

"…_I…I'm l-lost." She stuttered. She stared at me, admiring my accursed beauty. She judged that I must have been a noblewoman, from the countless yards of fabric that was draped around me. _

"_Well, how about I try to help you find your way back home, if that is fine with you?" I held out a hand for her, and noticed that she ignored the cold feeling of my skin against her own. At the moment, I was relieved that the dim rays of light could not reach my skin and frighten the child. _

_The young girl told me that her name is Jane, and told me how she became lost in this forsaken place. I was determined to help this child find her away through the dark forest, and we quickly began our pace. Jane felt oddly comfortable around me and revealed a lot of information about herself to me. As it were, her whole village accused her and her family of being witches and she told me how they would do almost anything to drive them out of the village but had no concrete proof to accomplish the task. I felt appalled that anyone would want to brand a set of ten year-olds as witches. Though, there was something strange about her that I could not put my finger on._

"_May I ask you a question, Genevieve?" _

"_Of course, Jane." _

"_What are you doing in such a remote place? I would think that someone as noble as yourself would be in Rome." _

"_Oh, I am merely visiting an acquaintance of my father and uncle. They believe it would be a nice change for me to be able to make more acquaintances with the other noblewomen and such." She smiled up at me and nodded. _

_Shortly thereafter, we reached her destination and I told her to hurry on home. Her family must have been worried sick about her. I waved at her retreating form, and sighed as I turned to look at my stalker. _

"_You know, you must stop doing that. Stalking is not a very polite form on inquiring what another person has been doing." I smirked at the area where I knew Demetri was hiding. _

_He came out of the shadows and smiled sheepishly. "I'm sorry. Liliana asked me to go after you, without Aro's knowing. Though, even if she hadn't asked, I would have come after you. Just to make sure that you were all right." _

_I giggled at him and together we walked back to the castle. Demetri was a good person, even if certain things that he did showed otherwise. He seemed very kind, however, one cannot judge a book by its cover. It would take me a while to figure him out, but that was perfectly fine with me. Time was something that I had an excess of. _

"_Um, er, Genevieve? How are you…Why did…that girl…I…" He trailed off, looking confused. _

_I stopped and turned to him. "You want to know how I was able to resist the child's blood, and how I am able to resist human blood in general, correct?" He nodded. "I suppose it has to do with the events that led up to my change. My father fed on my mother, moments before he killed me. The memory is etched into my mind for all eternity, and so I resist human blood in memory of her. It is difficult to resist, and I have had to build up a substantial amount of self restraint. It gets…easier after a while." _

"_You're strong, I admire you for standing up for what you believe in. It's not a quality that I see very often, you know." He smiled sweetly and we continued on. _

_---_

_It was two months after my first encounter with Jane that I saw her once again. She was in the forest with whom I guessed was her twin brother, Alec, splashing each other with the various puddles that formed after the last storm. It was almost impossible to recognize her with the amount of mud and leaves that clung to her hair and clothes. She instantly recognized me and ran to me, rather clumsily, and hugged me tightly, smearing all of the mud and dirt on my gown as she did so. I laughed at her eagerness and asked her to introduce me to her brother. _

_I found that Alec was as fascinating to me as Jane was. His mind worked similarly to hers and was much more advanced than given credit for. We quickly developed a bond, and often I would speak to both of the twins about literature and philosophy. Amazingly, they understood everything and had interesting ways of looking at some of the subjects. Alec looked at everything with logic and understanding; most times he would looked at subjects rather critically, leaving no room for argument. Jane seemed to take more of a pessimistic view on certain subjects, at times looking more at the evils of mankind than the good. _

_A few months or so after Alec and I met, the twins discovered what I really was. I had not meant to show them, but it seemed fate has other plans sometimes. _

"_Genevieve, what's it like to live in a palace and be waited on hand and foot? Is it really something that you like, or is it more of a burden to you? You know, do you feel you have more freedom or do you feel more restricted in the things that you're allowed to do?" Alec asked. _

"_Well, I assume—" I stopped abruptly when I heard a twig snap close to us. The scent filled me with panic. Vampire. _

_I crouched protectively in front of the twins, ignoring the looks of confusion on their faces. _

"_Genevieve, wha—" Jane was cut off by the sound of a tinkling laughter. _

"_My, my, what have I come across? Three delectable looking humans. This is quite the pleasant surprise, I must say." The vampire turned to stare at me. "You have excellent hearing, if you were able to react so quickly to my arrival. Sadly, you weren't quick enough. But, don't fret, I'll make this quick and painless." He grinned widely, showing off all his teeth. I could hear Jane and Alec's heartbeats racing and knew I had little choice but to kill this nuisance. _

"_I promise you, you shan't be having the chance of killing any of us this evening."_

_He laughed darkly. "And why is that?"_

"_Because," I appeared in back of him before he had time to register what just occurred, "I will make sure I kill you first." And with that, I ripped off his head and limbs, not bothering to pay attention to his mangled cries of pain and shock. I swiftly made a fire and made sure each body part burned to ash. I thanked God that I was able to finish him off quickly before I lost myself to the thrill of fighting, I did not want Alec and Jane to be hurt. _

_Jane and Alec. _

_I turned away from the fire and looked for the twins frantically before finding them behind a tree, crouching down in fear. I frowned at the sight of the two children, realizing that they must have been afraid of me. Jane opened her eyes and when she saw me, relief washed over her face. _

"_Genevieve! I'm so glad you're all right! I was worried something was going to happen to you." She sobbed into my arms, as I held her tightly against me. Alec looked as if he wanted to cry as well, but he held back his tears. _

"_F-forgive me, children. I did not mean to frighten either of you." _

"_I-I'm just g-glad you're okay. I thought we were going to die, for sure. But you saved us! Oh, Genevieve!" She hugged me tighter and I motioned for Alec to join us, which he did. We sat there, holding each other for a while before I pulled back and looked at them both quizzically. _

"_Why are you not afraid of me?" I asked them. _

_They both looked at me as if I grew a third eye or something. They seemed to ponder my question before Alec decided to speak up. _

"_We trust you, Genevieve. We trust you as if you were our own sister. Why would we ever fear you?" Jane nodded in agreement to her brother's statement. _

"_Because…because I am a monster who could easily kill either of you." I said sadly. _

"_No, you wouldn't. You're different, I can see that clearly, Genevieve. That _monster_ had horrible red eyes, but you have beautiful sapphire eyes that are so kind and gentle. You have a good heart. I can piece together that you both are probably the same, er, species, but both of you are entirely different. He wanted to kills us and you wanted to save us. In the end, it's the things you do that count towards the type of person you are. You're a good person Genevieve, even if you do drink blood." Jane giggled at the end of her speech. _

_I stared at both of them in slight shock. I was speechless, to say the least. Years later, when I thought back to that moment, I realized that it was a mixture of their age and their trust in me that led them to accept what I was so freely. _

_From that moment, they became very important people in my life and I would do anything to protect them. They became more like a family to me than Aro and the Volturi had ever been. I tried to make sure that nothing bad would ever happen to them, however, not even I could stop the pain that came from losing a loved one. _

_A year and a few months after I arrived in their village, Jane and Alec's mother suffered a terrible bout of tuberculosis and died only a few days after their eleventh birthday. They were grief-stricken, and nothing I could so would take that pain away from them. If I had the ability to shed tears, I would have, for their pain reminded me of mine when I had lost my own mother. _

_The villagers took no pity to the twins and began to say that they were the reason that their mother died. They were branded as being cursed and other nonsense, which I blocked out of my head. The death of their mother changed them greatly, and no longer were they the happy and carefree children they had once been. That was the first sign that everything was going to change for them. Inexplicable occurrences began to develop whenever the twins were in a rather frustrated or angered mood. People would suddenly feel their senses tune in and out, and others would feel a sharp pain throughout their entire bodies. This worried me to no extent, and I tried to shield all thoughts of them whenever Aro decided to check in on my thoughts. _

"_Genevieve, my dear, are you going to be joining us for dinner?" Aro smiled widely. I refused to answer him and headed up to my chambers, after his little prying into my thoughts. _

_I laid in bed and began to wonder how long I was going to be able to hide the twins from Aro. If he ever found out about them, they would most certainly be recruited into the Guard as soon as they were old enough. I did not want this life for them, and I would do everything in my power to make sure that did not happen. I was so lost in my thoughts, I did not register the added weight on my bed until I felt a marble arm wrap around my waist. _

_I jumped slightly, but sighed in relief when I saw it was Demetri. We had also become much closer and had started a relationship of sorts. Demetri became one of the only people I could trust and get close to, however, that did not mean that I would tell him about the twins. After every meeting with them, I would make sure to wash off their scent before I came anywhere near the castle. _

"_Why, hello there your majesty. Quite a surprise seeing you here. May I inquire why you're here, your greatness?" He said teasingly. _

_I gave him an annoyed glance. "Ha ha. Is it a crime for me to be in my chambers?" _

"_No, of course not." He pulled me so my head was resting on his chest. "It's just…you almost never spend time here. Usually you're gone throughout the day and return at night, leaving me completely bored around here all day long." _

_I scoffed. "Oh please, before I even came here you were content doing God knows what all day _and_ night long. And, may I remind you, I do not disappear every single day." _

_He laughed and held me tighter. "I was only joking. I've missed you though. Felix is starting to get on my nerves with his constant jeering and taunts. He continually flaunts the fact that he's part of the Guard and I'm not." _

_I felt panic swell up within me. "Demetri, I already told you. You do not want to be a part of the Guard. Please, I beg of you to never reveal your secret to Aro. I have done what I can to block the thoughts of you and Liliana so he shan't know, but that does not mean that you are not verbally capable of telling him. Please love, you do not want to join this forsaken family." I pleaded with him. I knew he was getting annoyed with Felix, but I could not have him join the Guard, under any circumstances. _

_Renata, Chelsea, and Felix had come to join us in Liliana's castle after they ensured that Volterra was in safe hands with Afton, Corin and Heidi protecting it. Renata was more reluctant to leave Afton alone with Heidi, after Heidi had tried to seduce Afton. When Felix found out about Demetri and I, he became fixed on securing his position above Demetri and taunted him whenever he pleased. It became an annoyance to me and to Demetri. _

"_I know, love. I'll attempt not to rip his head off the next time he says something, but I can't make any promises." He laughed darkly. I rolled my eyes at him and we stayed like that for a good ten minutes before I decided to go see the twins. _

_Demetri had me pinned to the bed, pleading with me not to go. "Just for today, love. Don't go. Please." With that, he bent his head down and kissed me hard on my lips. The kiss was desperate and pleading, all the while passionate and loving. I wrapped my arms around his neck, pulling him closer. I was about to give into him, but Felix burst into the room and Demetri reluctantly pulled away from me. _

"_Was I interrupting something?" Felix smirked. _

"_Actually—" Demetri growled, but I interrupted him before he could finish. _

"_Not at all, Felix. I must be off. Have fun you two, and try not to cause too much trouble. If you are planning to kill him, Demetri, please not in my chambers. I abhor the smell of ashes." I ran, leaving Demetri and Felix to their usual banter. Deep…_very_ deep inside, they both enjoyed each others company. It was a love-hate relationship, minus the love part. _

_If it were any other day, I would have stayed with Demetri and possibly helped him torture Felix a tad bit, however, today was a very important day for the twins and I had to be there. Today, they were turning thirteen and though they did not express any interest in the day, Jane constantly kept thinking that I had to be there. After their mother's death, their father began to grow distant from them, and now it was to a point where they only saw him when they woke up and went to sleep. _

_I decided that for a present, I would take them away for the day so that they could forget about all of their worries for the day at least. My home in France was still in top condition, even after all these years, and it was right next to the ocean. It was the perfect place for such an important year in their lives. They were turning into adults and I wanted their day to go off in a place with little stress and hardship. Hopefully that was how they would adjust to the next step in their lives. _

_A bloodcurdling scream brought me out of my thoughts, and I shivered slightly at the similarity of the sound to that of my mother's when she was murdered. Panic filled me as I thought of the possibility that it was Jane. I ran as fast as I was able to the source of the sound and was left in shock at the scene before me. _

"_Jane…" I whispered. She turned to look at me, and all I saw was anger and hate in her eyes. _

_

* * *

_**He he. A small cliffie. Can you guess what happened? :P Yes, Genevieve was with Demetri because I like him too. :D I kind of look at Felix and Demetri the way I look at Edward and Emmett. Demetri's all mellow and has it all together, but gets annoyed cuz Felix is all annoying and trickster, like Emmett. **

**Btw, if Jane seems OOC, think about it this way. Before she got turned, Jane was probably content with life, aside from the people around her hating her and Alec. She would have been like any other girl and done everything they did, so she must have been raised to respect those above her and such. Since the other little children stayed away from them, she had Alec, and whenever around him she was pretty calm, cool, and collected. So yeah, that's my explanation.**

**R&R. =]  
**


	13. Our Story Continued, But Never Ended

**Disclaimer: I don't own Twilight or any of its characters.**

**A.N: So this is the next part of the whole Genevieve and Jane thing. Btw, Jane and Alec's middle and last names were an invention of yours truly. :D Yeah, the twins have no choice but to be changed, unfortunately. Poor them :[ Hope you find it interesting. :D  
**

* * *

**Our Story Continued, But Never Ended**

Jane's P.O.V

_It had been two years and a few months since Lady Genevieve, er, I mean Genevieve, had arrived in our village. Well, neither she or the other vampires ever actually made themselves known here, but she was here nonetheless . The only people who even knew that they were here were Alec and I, and that piece of knowledge almost cost us our lives if Genevieve hadn't acted in time. _

_It would have been just as well, seeing as our mother was taken from us too early in life. She died of tuberculosis, but I wouldn't believe that that was what really killed her. These villagers had something to do with it, I was sure of it. Not even once did they come to pay their respects to her, and to make matters worse, they refused to let us bury her in the village's cemetery, claiming that her 'witch soul would raise the dead.' _

_Genevieve found out about what happened when I ran into her arms, sobbing pathetically. She was livid, to say the least, and suggested burning the villagers for their cruel words. I smiled at her and told her that it wouldn't be necessary and that God would punish them one day for it. She nodded and quickly changed the subject to where we were planning to bury her instead. She suggested a nearby meadow that was filled with copper-red Gladiolus, a flower that my mother adored. I suggested it to my father, without mentioning Genevieve, and he agreed that it would be a lovely place to bury her, and we did so the following day. _

_From the moment of my mother's death and so on, Alec and I had changed tremendously. Alec became much more reserved and quiet, while I became much angry and temperamental. Our father had slowly started to drift away and we rarely saw him. Genevieve was always there for us, but she always gave us a strange look whenever she saw us. I didn't know how to interpret it, but I shrugged it off as me just over thinking things. _

_The villagers began to act strange after our mother's death as well. People would complain about losing their senses and regaining them as if nothing happened, and then others would complain about sharp pains that felt as if their insides were on fire. The air around the village became thick with tension whenever Alec and I strolled around. The villagers blamed us for all the strange occurrences, however, this time it seems they weren't wrong. _

_The day started out like any other day, our father left to work in the next village, while Alec and I went off into the woods to visit Genevieve. A few of the village children had begun to follow us, but we paid them no mind. I led Alec to the meadow where our mother was buried, completely unaware that the other children were still following us. _

_When we got there, the other children began to rip out all the flowers that were planted there and began to kick up dirt everywhere. I screamed at them to stop when two of the older boys grabbed me and held me down. Alec noticed I was in trouble and ran to my aid but one of the girls tripped him and then the others began to kick Alec in the ribs and stomach._

"_Stop it! STOP! ALEC!!!" I screamed. One of the boys who was holding me slapped me across the face hard. I felt a copper taste in my mouth and realized it was my own blood. There was nothing I could do or say and that thought made me cry. I was vulnerable and defenseless. I was useless against these children who were desecrating the place where my mother was buried. _

_I looked up and the oldest boy of the group spit on my mother's grave marker. I snapped. It was that very moment that sealed my fate, as well as Alec's. There was no turning back from here, and this time, not even Genevieve would be able to save us. _

_I felt the anger in me rise, wanting to be unleashed, wanting to punish those who hurt me and my family. It was a feeling like no other. Fire burned through me, and the sudden surge of energy forced the boys who were holding me to be flung away to the trees. The other children stared at me with shock, confusion, and…fear. I smiled at that. I wanted them to fear me, I wanted them to feel the pain they gave me and my family. _

_I wanted them to _suffer_._

_I focused all of my attention on the boy who dared to spit on my mother's grave. Suddenly, he was on his knees, his body writhing in pain, screaming bloody murder. The other children scattered away, frightened by what they saw. I continued to torture the boy, smiling manically at his pain. I barely registered Alec looking at me in shock. He stood from his spot, and came over to stand beside me. He made no attempt to stop me at all. _

"_Jane…" The voice snapped me out of my concentration. The boy's body fell to the ground, quivering from the aftershocks of the pain. I looked over and met the sapphire eyes of my immortal angel. Her eyes held a bit of confusion and disappointment, all the while showing fear, but not _of_ me. Those eyes held fear _for_ me. _

_In the blink of an eye, she was over by the boy, the sun ray's making her skin sparkle like diamonds. I felt angry that she went over to the boy and wanted her to suffer for betraying me at that moment. I tried to recreate the feeling, but this time there was no effect. I tried again and again, but nothing happened. _

_Genevieve turned her gaze to mine and I involuntarily stepped back. Her gaze was cold, hard, and unfeeling. That one look from her was suffocating me and I fell to the floor on my knees and hands, attempting to breathe. Alec came to my side immediately, voice laced with worry. _

"_I'm fine." I lied. I was far from 'fine' at the moment. I glanced back at Genevieve, almost afraid that I would suffocate once again. That gaze was gone and what replaced it was sympathy and regret, most likely for what she did to me. _

_She came over to me and wrapped her arms around me. This hug felt distressed and final, almost if she knew that everything was about to change for me. She held her arm open for Alec and he obliged her by letting her hug him tightly. _

_The tears I was holding back made their way down my cheeks as I broke down in the arms of my brother and angel. They tried to calm me, but nothing they could say or do helped me. I let all the pain, anger, and sorrow overcome me as I sobbed in the arms of the most important people in the world to me. _

_I didn't have to ask what happened to the boy. I already knew. Somehow, I knew that he was gone and the last breath he would ever take was my fault. I had taken his life, and I would be punished severely by a village of people who already had contempt for me and my brother. I was almost certain that we would all die for this, and I sobbed harder. I hadn't only killed that wretched boy, I had killed my father, my brother and myself. _

_Genevieve pulled back from me and looked me in the eyes. "Jane, I love you, no matter what. If you stay here, you will die. You need to take Alec and leave immediately. You must never come back, under any circumstances. Do you understand?" _

_I stared at her for what seemed like an eternity before I spoke. "I won't leave, Genevieve. Take Alec, if you'd like, but I'm not leaving." She growled, but I paid no mind and continued. "It's my fault. That boy is dead because of me, and I need to take responsibility for what I've done. I'd rather die than get away with what I've done." _

"_And you will die if you do not leave!" She shouted. _

_I smiled sadly. "So be it." _

"_I won't leave you, Jane. You're my sister and I will always be by your side, no matter what." I nodded at Alec, as he took my hand in his. I smiled one last time at my angel and turned to head back to the village, hoping that she wouldn't try to stop me. Before we were completely out of ear shot, I heard her say, "God, you may have taken my life, but please, I beseech you not to take theirs." _

_---_

_Fire. _

_It burned me from the outside, not yet reaching the inside. All I could do was scream loudly, as I held onto Alec's hand, refusing to let go. The pain was almost too much to take without the guilt that I felt as I heard Alec scream at the crowed who gathered there. _

"_I HOPE YOU ALL BURN IN HELL!!!" He screamed. _

_My father was nowhere to be seen. When we had returned to our home, there was no sign of him ever being there. I wondered briefly if he was lurking in the shadows, watching his children burn to death, too much of a coward to show himself and attempt to save us. God would have no mercy on his soul if this scenario was true. _

_This was the end, and I felt slightly at peace knowing I would see my mother once more. It was a satisfying thought, I supposed. Suddenly, I felt my body be yanked out of the bindings and set down on the ground. I turned my head and peeked out through my lashes and saw Alec laying next to me. He didn't look like he was breathing and I started to panic. I tried to get to him, but felt a cold hand pushing me to stay still. I looked up and saw a man who was sickly pale, with long raven hair and had the same blood-red eyes that Alec and I encountered years ago. _

"_Don't worry, dear one, you won't have to suffer much longer…" His voice began to fade as I began to lose consciousness. It seems he was right, I wouldn't have to suffer for much longer. _

_As I began to accept my fate, I suddenly felt the familiar fire burn through me, but unlike the first time I felt like this, the fire began to bring me pain. My eyes shot opened as I screamed my lungs out and was surprised to see Genevieve staring down at me with the most pained expression I had ever seen in my entire life. The man who was with me earlier, asked her something much too low for me to hear. She nodded once and picked up my burning body, and the last thing I remembered was the blur of the forest around me. _

_**Alec Casamir Benedetti and Jane Catarina Benedetti**_

_**June 11, 1623 - June 11, 1636**_

* * *

Genevieve's P.O.V

_It would have been simple for me to save her and Alec, but it was her decision and I had meddled in her life far too much. She was stubborn, to say the least, but we had had many discussions about death in which she told me that no matter what, I was not to save her. I agreed, hoping that she would live a long happy life before that thought ever came up. _

_I ran back to the castle, looking for Demetri, only to be stopped in my tracks by Aro and the others. _

"_Why, hello there, dearest Genevieve. I was just about to send Demetri or Felix to go and find you. I was rather worried about you." He smiled that twisted smile of his. How I loathed him. _

"_I have no time to deal with you, _Aro_, now if you will excuse, I must go find Demetri." I told him coldly. If it were at all possible, his smile grew wider and that was when I focused on his thoughts. _

_I stared at him wide-eyed, panic clearly evident in my eyes. "No…" I whispered so low, that if Aro was not a vampire, he would not have heard me. At that moment, Demetri rounded the corner and looked down in shame when he caught sight of my anguished face. _

"_Why?" I whispered. "After I explained _everything_ to you, why would you tell him about your gift? Why, Demetri? This was not what I wanted for you." He refused to meet my eyes and silence engulfed us for an infinite amount of time, until Aro spoke on behalf of Demetri. _

"_Please, don't be upset, dearest. When I announced to Liliana that we would be leaving soon, young Demetri asked if there was any way possible that he could go with us, and I told him the only way would be if I found him intriguing enough to join the Guard. He hesitated but told me about his gift and how you had blocked that tid bit of information from his and Liliana's minds. Tsk, tsk, tsk. I'm quite disappointed in you, dearest." Aro smiled innocently at me and the urge to rip out his throat was stronger than ever. _

_Demetri took a hesitant step towards me, but stopped when he saw the anger and hurt in my eyes. "I…I only wanted to be with you, Genevieve. I couldn't stand to see you go. Please, don't be angry. Eventually, someone would have mentioned it or I would have slipped and he would have seen my power…" He looked away again. _

"_No! No one would have ever known! That was the whole point of blocking those thoughts from him!" I snarled at him, but my tone quickly changed with one look at his guilty and pained expression. "I would have come back to see you, Demetri. I would not have forgotten you." _

"_Yes, we would have come back in a few short years, to claim those twins that my dearest Genevieve seems so enthralled with." I whipped my head around at Aro's words. _

"_How…" _

"_You're getting sloppy, dearest. I saw the girl from Demetri's thoughts. She intrigued me, so I had Demetri lead me to the village. In this past year, those two have begun to show a great amount of progress, it seems." _

"_There was no way that you would have been able to see them without me being able to detect you or one of the others. I would have seen it from your thoughts!" _

"_You have your tricks, dearest, and I have my own." I growled at him, and he smirked at me. _

"_Much too late, Aro. The twins are dying as we speak." I felt my voice falter as I uttered their fate. Aro's eyes widened and he immediately left Demetri and I in the corridor._

"_He's going to save them." He said softly. I nodded and began to walk away from him. He knew better than to go after me at the moment. I could not blame him for showing Aro the village where the twins lived, but I could not shake off the feeling of betrayal. _

_I debated whether to go after Aro and the others, but decided to go in the end. I could have saved them, I _should_ have saved them, but they would have never forgiven me. My visions on the subject were so obscure and rapidly changing that I could not focus enough to see one clear path. It was strange, to say the least, but I ignored it. Had I not, they would have probably lived. _

_As I arrived in the village, the villagers were running around, being picked off one by one. Their screams filled the otherwise tranquil evening, and the smell of human blood that came off the area was intoxicating. My throat burned and I felt my will waver slightly, that was, until I saw the scorched bodies of Alec and Jane. _

_Aro was speaking to her, assuring her that her suffering would end soon. Her mind was coming in and out, so she barely registered when Aro leaned in and bit her right wrist. I looked away and saw Alec only a few feet from Jane. His breathing was harsh and ragged. I went over to him and lifted his head and placed it in my lap. I stroked his hair gently, trying to comfort him in someway. He opened his eyes to meet mine, and one thought resonated in his mind. 'Kill me, please. Don't let me suffer anymore. Please…' _

_I started to shake violently, from either anger and sadness, I would never really know. Aro placed his hand on my shoulder and I looked up to see him staring at me sympathetically. _

"_He's suffering, dearest. His breathing is getting shallow and each heartbeat is become much more sparse. End his human pain. It wouldn't be right if I did it for him. Help him join his sister." I felt too hollow to argue with him. Alec wanted to stay with Jane no matter what, and this was the only way possible. I took his left wrist and bit down, releasing the venom into his bloodstream._

_I released his hand and set him down gently as he started to squirm from the pain. I went over to Jane, who began to scream in agony. I felt a shiver go down my spine at the sound of her screams and Alec's screams, which began moments later. They would haunt me forever. _

_Jane met my eyes as she screamed, taking in my pained expression. It amazed me how she was able to stop screaming and trashing around for a few minutes. She had more strength within her than she would have imagined to be able to do such a feat. I tried to smile, but it came out as a grimace. _

_Aro came to my side and spoke quietly into my ear. "You know that it will be over soon, staring at her won't speed up the process. We need to take them out of here. Demetri will take Alec back to the castle. Please, take Jane." I nodded and gathered my young one in my arms and raced through the forest. _

_By the time that I entered the castle, Jane had become unconscious. I darted to my chambers and set Jane on my bed. Demetri came in a few minutes later with Alec in his arms, setting him down next to Jane. We did not speak as we spent the next few hours observing the twins during their transformation. They were unconscious and did not move for the most part, but a minute after I thought that, Jane began to whimper and Alec began to arch violently off the bed. It was almost too much to witness. _

_Aro came an hour or two later, ushering Demetri and I out of the room. At that point, Aro could have decorated me in human entrails and blood and I would not have batted an eye. Demetri lead me out of the room and stood next to me in the corridor. Jane's whimpering and Alec's thrashing could be heard from out here. The image of them laying on the ground, skin badly burnt, screaming in agony, replayed over and over in my head. _

"_Genevieve…" Demetri whispered gently. I looked to see him staring down at me, different feelings flashing across his eyes. I wanted to look away, but he held my face lovingly in his hands. He kissed my head and pulled me tightly to him. "I'm sorry, love. I'm so, so, so very sorry. This is all my fault…" Part of me wanted to agree and tell him that it _was_ his fault, but he had nothing to do with it. It had to be mine. I blamed myself, and it was at that moment that I broke. _

_I buried my face in his chest and wished that I could shed tears, instead of the dry sobs that overtook my body. He picked me up and a second later, we were on his bed, my body curled up to his. He held me for God knows how long, rubbing small circles on my lower back, like my mother used to do. It soothed me enough that I stopped sobbing. He sat up and lifted me so that I was sitting next to him. He told me to stay here, that he was going to go hunting for me and that he would be back momentarily. _

_I grabbed him before he tried to leave. "No! Please…stay." I pleaded. _

"_Love, it'd be better if you fed…" I whimpered slightly and he gave into me request. "As soon as, um, er, the change is, er, done, you're going to go hunting, alright?" I nodded. _

"_Demetri…" _

"_Mmm?" He murmured. I pushed him down to the bed and hovered above him. His face was one of complete and utter shock. _

"_Help me forget…" I crushed my lips to his before he had time to respond. This kiss was urgent, demanding, and desperate, lacking all the feeling from earlier that day. He stiffened up but gave in almost instantly. His hands came to rest on my hips, while I tangled my hands in his short, brown hair. Suddenly, he flipped us over so that I was laying on my back. _

"_Genevieve, I-I can't do this. Not now. Please, understand." He told me softly. I was disappointed, but I could not be angered with him. "I love you, but this won't help take the pain away. It's not what you wanted, my love, but life doesn't work out the way we want it to. Be glad that you're going to see them again, and that those villagers got what was coming to them." I nodded. _

_Demetri was both right and wrong. I _was_ going to be happy to see the twins again, but it should not have been at the cost of their lives and mortality. Depending on the person, their change could render them the same as they were when they were human or they could change into exactly what their sire desires them to be. Two paths were clear for the twins at the moment, but I would only know which one would be certain the moment that they opened their eyes._

_There was no use crying over spilled milk, when there were no tears to be shed, and the milk was in fact the blood of the innocents that laid suffering over the fire that burned them from the inside out. _

_---_

_I wandered around the streets of Volterra, in the middle of the afternoon, glad that I was able to spend this time alone. My tan skin sparkled in the sunlight, but those around me were none the wiser. It was times like this that I was glad that creating illusions was one of my specialties. Stepping outside Volterra's main gates, I wished that my illusions could somehow become reality, changing us all back into the humans we were meant to die as. _

_I walked further and further away from Volterra, wondering if this would finally be the day that I would leave it behind. Clearly, wishful thinking. There were so many things keeping me tied to the cold, gray, stone walls. My father, Demetri, the twins…how could I leave? My father is the only thing that kept me tied to my mother and my human life, Demetri would be heartbroken if I ever left him and so would I, and the twins needed me so that Aro would not corrupt them, well, more than he already has. _

_I finally came to an abrupt stop, at the very edge of the outermost area of Volterra. The invisible line that laid there, the very one I dared not cross, was mocking my cowardice. It was mocking my fears and my excuses, telling me that everything would work out in the end, and the only thing I needed was to work up the courage and will power to leave. _

_Every single day after the twins were changed, I came here but never did I cross the line. I thought that the disappointment and the pain would finally be enough to force me to leave, but it only held me here, tighter than a serpents constricting embrace. _

_After the twins awoke, their futures were clear. Jane and Alec would be the main driving forces of the Volturi, making the family that much more powerful. Aro was quite taken to Jane, choosing 'dear one' as a term of endearment for her. She had changed, there was no question about it, however, I tried to teach her and Alec necessary lessons that Aro would only scoff at. _

_I stressed the importance of retaining some amount of their humanity, even in the type of environment that they lived in. Alec was more responsive to the things I said than Jane. She would listen, but her thoughts were on everything that Aro had taught her. All questions that Alec may have had were asked mentally and I addressed them in the same manner, opening a mental link for him to hear the response. Alec quickly found out that any question that seemed to defy Aro's teachings were quickly reported to him through Jane. _

_After that day, I blocked all thoughts against Aro from Alec's mind, so that when he was asked to show the information we had discussed, the truth would not be revealed to him. It was a necessary measure that we had taken against Jane. _

_I sat there, looking at a small brown rabbit hop around the forest floor, taking only a moment to look at me before continuing on its way. The rabbit reminded me of Jane, before she had become the monster that she was now. Innocent, full of life, and ignorant to the world around it. That used to be Jane, but she had changed all too soon. _

_When Jane woke up, Aro gave her a choice of either joining the Guard or dying with her brother as they were supposed to. I tried to convince her not to join, however, Aro's empty threat seemed to work, and so she agreed for both her and Alec that they would join. Immediately after, Aro had taken over as their friend and mentor, teaching them the basic skills, and figuring out the power that each of the twins held. As it were, Jane had a variation of the power she had when she was human, except now it was more of an illusion than anything, but still very powerful, bringing down her beloved master to his knees. Alec's power was almost the opposite of Jane's, in a way. He held a greater range of people he affected, releasing a mist that would take away any of a person's senses. _

_Alec, in contrast to Jane, did not kiss the ground that Aro walked on. He respected his master, and that was basically where the relationship ended. Alec would mostly roam the castle, looking for something to keep him occupied when he was not being sent on one of Aro's 'errands'. Most days, he would spend his time in the library or Aro would have him stay close with Jane, meaning close with him. There were times that Alec would sneak out and join me out here. We would never speak, merely stare out into the vast wilderness, both thinking of the freedom we could have had. _

_I sighed, staring intently at the line that held no mercy for me. Too deep into my thoughts, I never noticed that I had some new company. The intruder was in the shadows, observing me with an obvious amount of interest. The absence of a heartbeat was an obvious indicator of their species. In the flash of an eye, I appeared next to the intruder, grabbing him by the throat and roughly shoving him into a nearby tree. _

"_Were you never taught that staring at a young woman, in the middle of the forest, is quite rude?" I growled at the intruder, who turned out to be a very handsome man. He had pale skin, short blonde hair, and golden eyes. He was much taller than me, around Demetri's height but much less muscular. He did not look much older than Felix or Heidi. _

"_I'm quite sorry, I did not mean any harm by it. I was merely passing by when I caught sight of you. Please, accept my apologies." He said politely, smiling softly. _

_I let go of him, smiling back. "Your Italian is one of the best I have ever heard from an outsider, Signor Benefici. Try rolling your R's a bit more." _

"_Oh, well thank—h-how did you know my name?" He said, slightly shocked. _

"_One of my abilities, Signor." I laughed. "Allow me to introduce myself, I am Genevieve Montessori." _

"_A pleasure to make your acquaintance, signorina. You're quite different than any of the vampires I've encountered, signorina Montessori." _

"_Please, call me Genevieve. And yes, I do realize that I am quite the _oddity _of our world, but my family seems to embrace that fact." I replied sullenly. Thankfully, my companion did not notice my fallen mood or he simply decided not to comment on it, and for this I was grateful. _

"_Well, Genevieve, if you insist on being so informal, you may call me Stregoni. Now, you say you have a family?" I nodded. "Here? In Volterra?" Once again, I nodded. "Interesting. Is there anyway that I could meet them? Please, I'm quite anxious to meet others of our kind who aren't as uncivilized as those I've met in England." _

_I was hesitant, but the future held no harm for this eager young man. However, I could not shake the feeling that this meeting could potentially alter his life forever. Against what my gut was telling me, I decided to introduce him to Aro, Caius, and Marcus. _

"_Really? You have no thirst for human blood? Well, I must say that the sheer amount of control over your thirst could very well rival that of my dearest Genevieve." Aro exclaimed excitedly._

_Stregoni was much more trusting of Aro than he should have been. As soon as the formalities were over and done with, Aro had walked up to him and asked for his hand, Stregoni appearing confused, yet intrigued. Aro searched through his thoughts, searching for any indication of being sent by the Romanians. Through his search, he stumbled upon the interesting fact that this kind, gentle, trusting man had never consumed a drop of human blood and relied on animals, as I did. _

"_Yes, it was quite difficult in the beginning, but I was able to work through it. This whole room could be filled with blood and it would not bother me in the least." He explained. "I've been in studying in London ever since I was changed, but I came to Italy, recently, to broaden my horizons in medicine. I'm very interested in trying to help others in anyway that I can." He smiled innocently at the Volturi leaders. _

_Marcus and Caius stared at him as if he had found a way to turn back into a human. Aro listened to Stregoni intently and seemed to be genuinely interested in him. The Guard did not care to be here, but since Aro requested their presence, they had no choice but to obey. _

'_Ugh, for being such a gorgeous man, he's rather boring. I wonder how he's like…' Heidi's thoughts trailed off as the images of her and Stregoni began to run rampant. I blocked her thoughts from my mind as quickly as possible and focused on Chelsea and Renata. They were both thinking about gowns that they wanted to buy as soon as they were no longer needed. _

'_Interesting.' Alec's mind was very guarded and no other thought made its way out to me. Jane was staring at me intensely, her mind as blank as a new piece of parchment paper. _

'_If he even thinks about looking at her, I'll kill him. There's nowhere that he'll be able to run where I won't be able to find him. Who does he think he is anyways?' Demetri was staring daggers at Stregoni. I raised an eyebrow at him, but he completely ignored me, planning Stregoni's death in his mind. _

_I sighed. "Aro, I believe our guest would benefit from an extensive visit to our library, do you not agree? He will be able to access our books and documents, and you will be able to have him here for as long as he wishes to stay and converse about anything." _

_He nodded excitedly. "Oh yes! What a splendid idea! Ah, my dearest Genevieve, you always come up with the best ideas. Such an intelligent girl." _

"_Yes, well, I was thinking more of the Guard who seem to be rather uninterested at the moment and would like nothing more than to leave." I called out as I turned and walked away. _

_---_

_Stregoni stayed with us for the last decade and a half. He and I had become much closer throughout the years, to the point where I spent less time with everyone, including Demetri. Demetri did not approve of the amount of time that I spent with Stregoni, but I could not bring myself to care at all; his jealousy had begun to work my very last nerve. _

_Alec and Jane were still as distant as ever, and I had all but given up on them. I had spent too many centuries sulking over the loss of the twins, and I would not continue to do so for another century. _

"_A penny for your thoughts?" I turned to glare at the voice that startled me. _

"_Have I ever told you that it is quite rude to sneak up on a person when they are not paying attention?" _

"_Well, Genna, I didn't sneak up on you, seeing as I used the front door of your chambers, the very door that you are facing. It's not my fault that you're much to preoccupied in thinking about something else." He laughed. _

_I rolled my eyes and patted the seat next to me. "So, Benefici, when are you leaving?" I closed my eyes, leaning back on my hands. It amazed me, at times, how such a gentle man could have the patience of a god. Aro was almost incessant in his daily bombardments of questions and discussions with Stregoni. He attempted, day and night, to change Stregoni's mind and convince him that they life we lived was meant to be led with human blood, not an animals. Stregoni never changed his mind, saying that his convictions were strong and he would not be so easily changed. _

"_Are you so eager to see me leave, Genna?" He nudged me gently with his shoulder, smiling brightly._

"_Of course not. I just…I cannot for the life of me understand why you would want to stay here." I finished sadly. He was so easily capable of leaving Volterra, something that I dreamed of doing for centuries. I left and came back whenever I pleased, but I never actually left Volterra for good. It was starting to take its toll on me. _

"_I find myself asking you the same question, Genna. You're so unhappy here, I see it in your eyes every single day. Why don't you leave? What makes it so difficult for you to leave?" He looked at me sadly. _

_I sighed. "The twin's need me, as does Demetri. I cannot just leave them here." _

"_Genna, Alec and Jane are _not_ defenseless here. They don't need you to loom over them for the rest of eternity. And Demetri…well, if he really loves you, then he'll either go with you or he'll understand and let you go." He advised me. _

"_I know that. If I leave, he cannot come with me. This is something that I have to do on my own." I sighed. My time to leave was way overdue and if I did not decide to leave now, I never would. I could not stay here any longer, with the guilt and pain clouding over me every single say of my life. I had to escape this prison. _

_I turned to Stregoni. "It really is time for me to go, is it not?" He nodded in response. _

"_I will miss you. But it's necessary that you leave. You can't keep doing this to yourself. I'm worried about your mental wellbeing, Genna. I want to see you happy, but if that means I don't actually get to _see_ you, then by all means go and be happy." _

"_I suppose you are right. Now is a good time as any, huh?" I laughed weakly. "Aro must never find out you were involved, even though I am quite certain he will figure it out on his own. I will block out those thoughts about this moment from him, I assure you." _

_He hugged me tightly. "Thank you, Genna. I hope to see you again." _

_I pulled away slightly and smiled. "Oh trust me, you will see me quite a bit in the future." I giggled. "Oh, and one more thing. You might want to consider changing your name to something less noticeable and eye-catching. May I suggest Carlisle Cullen?" _

"_Carlisle Cullen? Well, I guess if you think it's necessary. Now might be a good a time as any to start using the name, to become more adjusted to it, yes?" _

"_Yes." I laughed. "Any suggestions on a destination for me, Carlisle?" _

"_Hmm, yes. You might found the Oriental region interesting. It's quite rich in culture. You may actually learn a number of things there. Now, leave before you change your mind." _

"_Goodbye, Genevieve Montessori." He kissed my cheek and hugged me once more for good measure. _

_I hugged him back and turned to walk away. "Goodbye, Carlisle Cullen." I called out. I ran as quickly as I could, before the Guard or Aro got word that I had left. Aro would not hurt Streg- Carlisle, of that I was certain. However, he was not dense enough to believe that he had nothing to do with my departure. But, seeing as there would be no evidence against him, Aro would just have to shake it off. _

_As I ran, I began to feel so free. All guilt and responsibility that I had with the Volturi was gone, and I was not going to allow them to rope me in ever again. Out of the corner of my eye, I saw a figure moving up to par with me. I slowed and stopped, waiting for my follower. _

_Alec appeared in front of me a moment later. His mind was jumbled with thoughts and his eyes gave way to the many emotions that conflicted within him. He looked at me and opened his mouth to say something but quickly closed it. He did this about two or three times before I took the reigns and spoke. _

"_What is it Alec? What is it that you wish to tell me?" I asked sadly. _

_He looked up at me and smiled. "I'll miss you Genevieve. Please, don't think that just because my sister is in infatuated with Aro that she won't miss you as well. And just between us, we support your decision to leave. It was about time, wasn't it?" He laughed his boyish laugh, one that I hadn't heard in years. _

"_We love you very much, nothing and no one will ever change that. Ever." _

_I took him into my arms and kissed his forehead, before releasing him. "Thank you, Alec. I will miss you as well. Can you tell Demetri that I love him and that I am sorry?" He nodded. "Thank you Alec and goodbye. " I said sadly. And with that, I left the life I never wished to be a part of. I closed the chapter on one part of my immortal life, but surely there would be many more in store for me, and hopefully the twins that I had known for so long and wished for only the best. _

_

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_**Ok, so I realize that Genevieve shouldn't have left without her hubby/mate/lover Demetri, but it was necessary. It's all gonna play a role later on. A big, fat, juicy drama filled role! ;D He he. Yay for Carlisle! :D Yes, I really feel that he might have gone as Stregoni Benefici for the rest of his life if _someone_ hadn't said, "Dude, your name is gonna bring you a lot of attention...CHANGE IT RAWR!!" :p**

**R&R my lovelies! Next chapter, get ready for some screaming, angst, and a new character! :D  
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	14. The Truth, Regardless of my Pain

**Disclaimer: I don't own Twilight or any of its characters.**

**A.N: Next chapter :D! Now do you guys remember the dream sequence from Ch. 4? Well, you might wanna go back and read it if you forgot to understand the beginning of this one. Okay, Enjoy! ^_^  
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**The Truth, Regardless of my Pain**

Leah's P.O.V

"No!" I screamed, falling off the bed with the sheets tangled around me. I laid there for a second, trying to figure out what was real and what was fabricated by my subconscious. My body was trembling and coated with a layer of sweat. I sat up and looked out of my window to the pitch black sky; the moon wasn't out tonight.

I flinched when I felt a cold hand touch my shoulder. I looked up to see Genevieve staring at me, eyes full of concern.

"Are you alright, Leah?"

I nodded. "Yeah, fine. It-It was j-just that dream again."

She frowned at me. "It has changed, has it not?" I nodded. "Would you care to tell me about it?"

"It started out like it always does, but the part in which we're all at the cliffs…changed. When the darkness is swirling around and around, the person who comes out of it isn't me anymore. Instead, there was this young girl. She had long white hair, light grey eyes, and she was very pale. She stared at me and smiled eerily. I looked at everyone else, and they were all smiling too.

"She started to come closer, and I couldn't back away. I was expecting her to push me off the cliff, but she didn't. She stopped a foot away from me and turned back around to where the packs and my mom and everyone else were at. She stood right in front of Sam, turned back to look at me and smile, and then she…she stuck her hand through his chest and ripped out his heart." I choked on the last part. Tears were falling down my cheeks and I felt so weak at having to remember the nightmarish qualities of the dream.

"Leah—" I cut her off.

"I'm fine, let me continue. After she killed Sam, she moved on down the line of people, killing every last one of them. I screamed at them to move, to do _something_, but none of them did. They kept looking forward, smiling as if everything were fine. I couldn't move or phase, no matter how hard I tried. The only thing I could do was scream.

"When she was done, she looked back at me and smiled so brightly, as if she was proud of what she just did. She started to get closer again, sauntering over slowly. My body was finally able to move, but the only thing I could do was fall on my knees, staring at all the bodies of everyone who I ever cared about. Finally, the girl stopped a few inches in front of me, leaning over to whisper in my ear.

"She said, 'And that's what I'm going to do to every single person you ever held near and dear to your heart. That's what I'm going to do the people _they_ ever held near and dear to _their_ hearts. But they only difference is, when I do, it won't be a dream.' And then she was gone. That's when I woke up." I was shaking again and my heart was pounding loudly in my ears.

I looked up Genevieve, hoping and wishing that she would say that it was only a dream, but her eyes told me a different story. I looked away, not wanting to accept the possible reality that the dream possessed. I refused to accept that this was a possible outcome, but a small part of me was starting to lose hope of coming out of the future battle with everyone alive.

Genevieve lifted me from the ground and set me on the bed before speaking. "We have less time than I would have hoped, Leah. I know you wanted to wait, but we have no other choice."

"How much?"

"I think it would be better to foc—"

"Genevieve!" I growled. "How much fucking time?" She stared at me for a minute before looking down at her hands. I probably shouldn't have been so aggressive at the moment, but I _had_ to know. I _had_ to know how much longer my friends and family might have to _live_.

"The first snowfall of winter." She whispered sadly. So that was it. We had about half a year left of any last minute training until the battle. Half a year left to make peace. Half a year to say goodbye.

"Leah…"

"I'm sorry, Genevieve. I can't help but think that way."

"I know."

"Let's try not to tell anyone just yet. And before you start lecturing me, I think we can spare a few more days to a week. We just got back, and I think it's better to let people get over that shock first before we hit them with some more news." I explained. She agreed and we headed downstairs only to find Seth eating a huge stack of pancakes. There were two other equally large stacks waiting for someone to dig in. We looked to see my mom making scrambled eggs and I smelled cinnamon rolls in the oven.

"Good morning, girls. I was wondering when you'd come down." Mom greeted us happily.

"Good morning, Sue. I trust you slept quite well last night?" Mom nodded.

"Yes, I think that was the best sleep I've had in years." She smiled at us. "Now sit, sit, sit. I've made pancakes, scrambled eggs, and I'm making some cinnamon rolls. They'll be out in a few minutes." I took my seat and watched my mother zip around the kitchen, grabbing ingredients from the fridge and bowls from the cabinets. She didn't really have to make anymore food, but I guess this was making her happy. I felt a twinge of pain at the thought that in a few more months, she might not be able to do this anymore.

"Mom, just come sit down and eat. You've been cooking since before I woke up." Seth said.

"I agree, Sue. Sit down, eat, enjoy this wonderful morning, and I will finish up the rest of the food. Please, Sue. I insist." Genevieve ended up persuading mom and she sat down with us to eat. We talked about anything that came to mind. I tried to focus on the conversation as a way to forget about the dream. Genevieve joined us moments after Seth finished his stack of pancakes, with another stack ready for him.

He groaned. "You're trying to get me fat, aren't you?" I rolled my eyes and laughed at him. Like Seth could ever get fat with the metabolism that he has.

After we were done with breakfast, Genevieve and I headed back up to my room and planned what we were going to do about the new situation. I had gone a week without any training, so that was going to be the first thing on the agenda. We decided to head out later in the day for a few hours of hardcore training, but for now we were going to hang out with Seth and mom for a little while.

"The first _Pirate's of the Caribbean_ was so much better than the second or last one! I don't care what you have to say Seth!" We were watching the _Pirate's_ trilogy after Seth and me got into argument about which movie was better. To settle it, mom decided that we would watch them and then make our decision.

"Oh please! The third movie was _so_ much better! It had everything! Crazy Jack Sparrow, betrayal by Will, Elizabeth becoming the Pirate King, Jack's dad coming out of _nowhere_, Davy Jones and the epic fight, and Calypso! Come on! How could you say that it's not the best one?!" He argued back.

"You know, that Johnny Depp is very hot." Mom spoke up. Seth and I stopped arguing and looked at our mom as if she grew another head. "What? Well, he is!"

Genevieve laughed. "She is right, you know. He is a _very_ handsome man. If only he was around in the 16th century…" She trailed off. Mom and I started laughing, while Seth stared at Genevieve with his mouth open. He probably couldn't believe that his _girlfriend_ thought another man was hot and was daydreaming about said man. All I could do was laugh harder.

"Are you kidding me?! You think _Johnny Depp's_ hot!?! Seriously? I mean, if you said Orlando Bloom, then sure fine, no problem, but _Johnny Depp_? You have bad taste in men, babe." I stared at my brother in disbelief. Wow. I always said he was a little bit too close to feminine looking men. Guess I know why.

"Sweetie," mom interjected, "how can you say she has bad taste in men if she's with you?" Genevieve and I started laughing loudly while Seth pouted in mock hurt.

I calmed down before I began speaking. "Ok…enough talk about Seth's man-crushes. I'm going out to, er, run with Genevieve for a while. We won't be back late, promise mom."

"Alright. Could you pass by and get some milk, eggs, and fudge on your way back? I want to bake some brownies and a cake for tomorrow."

I smiled and nodded. "Sure, no problem. Hey Seth, want to come with us?"

"Hmm, nah. I have patrol tonight until six a.m., I think I'm going to get a few more hours of sleep before then." He yawned. I shrugged and ran up to my room to change into some shorts and a tank top.

Genevieve and I ran in the forest until we were, what we thought, far enough away that no one would hear or see our training. The area had a small clearing and dense forests all around it. The rocky terrain of the forest floor made it much more difficult to maneuver around quickly, but ultimately it was the best terrain to work in.

"Alright Leah, I think today we should work on hand to hand combat. Knowing Aro, he gave the child extensive training in her human form, so we are going to do the same."

"Is fighting you going to be like fighting Horus? Because he could get a little out of hand." I shivered as I thought about one of my 'masters'. He made sure that I was capable of fighting, but sometimes he would go a little overboard.

_Genevieve and I had left Thailand a few days ago. We had stayed with Master Kiet for about a year and two months before he _finally_ said I was ready to go on with my training. I was going to miss the old man, but it was time to leave and study under another of Genevieve's 'old friends'. _

_We arrived in Mongolia yesterday, but we didn't take a moment to rest. As soon as we had gotten off of the plane, Genevieve took me by the arm and practically dragged out of the city. When no one was close enough to see us, I phased and ran after her. An hour later, we were in the Gobi Desert, and Genevieve didn't look like she was about to stop anytime soon. _

'_Can we stop real quick Genevieve? I'm about to pass out right here if we don't.' I pleaded with her. She looked at me and nodded. _

"_I do apologize, Leah. I forget that you are human and need to rest every so often. However, this area does not provide much cover and there are a number of nomads that are living here. The best option is for me to just carry you the rest of the way." She said. _

_I looked at her and titled my head. 'But, can't you just shield us so they don't see us?' _

_She sighed. "Yes, but we do not have time to just sit around. We still have another hour or two of running. Let me carry you and you can rest on the way to our destination." _

_I relented and phased back. After all this time with her, I didn't find being stark naked in front of her embarrassing. It was better than phasing in front of the guys and having to hear all their sick fantasies about me. Genevieve handed me a pair of jeans and long sleeve turtleneck to wear, saying that even if my temperature was higher than most humans, the cold in Mongolia was worse than in La Push. As soon as I was dressed, she took off with me on her back. _

_Genevieve was surprisingly comfortable and not at all the hard, marble stone that the rest of the leeches felt like. As she ran I saw the landscape seem to merge into one big blob of color; the ground, mountains, and sky undistinguishable from one another. It would have been enough to make anyone else nauseas. I wondered what my pack brothers would think if they saw me riding on the back of a leech. Embry, Quil, and Seth would think that I'd gone completely nuts or something, and Jacob would be rolling on the floor laughing and promising to never let me live this down. _

_I missed them all, especially Jacob. Carlisle had told me that Jacob was miserable without me, but I couldn't go running back to him. I had training to finish and now I had a mission to accomplish. Besides, it wasn't like he was even mine to begin with. He was his own person, not someone's property, but fate didn't share the same sentiments that I did. _

_It was painful, but a few months ago I decided that I had to let him go. Thinking about Jake always brought a lot of inner turmoil and even someone like Master Kiet, who didn't know a thing about my life, could easily see it. It wasn't fair of me to expect Jacob to wait for me for however long I was going to be gone. He had an imprint right at home with him and she was perfect for him in every way that I wasn't. I was letting him go, even if a small part of me would always selfishly hold on. _

_Almost two hours later, we were at the foot of a large mountainous region that stretched as far as the eye could see. The mountain tops were capped with snow and not a soul seem to have ever dwelled here. It was kind of unnerving and overwhelming, at first. _

"_Yes, it does seem a bit overwhelming at first, but you will get used I to it soon enough. We are in the Southeastern area of Mongolia and these mountains are the Altai Mountains, highest mountains in all of Mongolia." Genevieve informed me. _

_I got off of her back and looked around. "Are we going to be training here? One of these mountains isn't secretly an illusion is it? I'm not going to try climbing one of them and suddenly fall flat on my face am I?" _

_She giggled. "No, of course not. Your training is going to be all around these mountains actually. I just hope your new teacher has not forgotten that we arrive today. He is quite forgetful at times." _

"_So…who is this new teacher/master guy?" I asked, curious as to what I was going to be learning this time. _

_She smiled slyly and turned away from me. "Just wait a moment and you will see for yourself." I raised an eyebrow as she walked away. What the hell was that supposed to mean? Genevieve was sure one for the theatrics. I heard an audible 'humph' as I thought that and laughed inwardly. _

_Suddenly, I was thrown against the side of a small boulder but when I tried to see my attacker there was no one there. I quickly got up and took a defensive stance, ready for the next attack. A few minutes passed by and nothing happened. Before letting my guard down slightly, I tried to listen for any indication of where the attacker could have been hiding but there was only complete silence. The next thing I knew, I felt the wind knocked out of me as I doubled over in pain from a punch to the stomach. _

_I fell to the floor, clutching my stomach tightly. The attacker took this time to attack and unleashed countless number of strikes to my fallen body. Every time I thought that they let up, I would try to take a stance but they would attack the moment I was even close. Eventually I just stayed on the ground, groaning in pain. _

"_That is quite enough, thank you Horus." I heard Genevieve growl. I felt her kneel down next to me and started to tend to my injuries. Ever since the fight in Connecticut, she had been extra careful with any injury I sustained, even if I reminded her that I would heal in a matter of minutes. She went as far as going back to see Carlisle every once in a while to learn how to set broken bones and treat large wounds. _

"_I only do it because I care, Leah. Now quit being stubborn and lay still." _

"_Fine." I groaned. "Genevieve, what or who the hell was that? Fuck, I haven't been hit like that since our time in Connecticut. And before that, the only time I ever got close to being hurt that bad was when Paul and Jared came after me when I dyed their hair blonde." _

_She raised an eyebrow. "You dyed their hair blonde?" _

_I nodded. "April Fool's Day prank. A little payback for something they did to me when I was a freshman." _

_She shook her head and continued to inspect my body. She still hadn't answered my question and I was starting to get a little impatient. I was about to question her again when a tall, rugged man step out from behind one of the nearby boulders. I jumped up and took a defensive stance against him. There was something about him that made me want to attack him, but I settled on a loud menacing growl. _

_Genevieve sighed and stepped in between me and the man. She looked at each of us and her shoulders dropped slightly. She was less tense than I thought she should have been. Couldn't she see that this man was a threat? _

_The man took a step toward her and I couldn't stop myself from phasing and lunging at him. But before I could get to him, Genevieve had me pressed into the rocky terrain, her full weight on top of me. I couldn't move and I felt myself slipping into the familiar darkness that only she could provide for me. _

"_You could have hurt her, you know that do you not?" I heard a voice say. I was slowly waking up, but my body felt so heavy that I didn't make that much of an effort to wake up any faster. _

"_Well, excuse me! Is it my fault that she smells like a threat to me? You know better than I do that I cannot fight my instincts!" Another voice exclaimed. _

_A low, threatening growl erupted from somewhere beside me and that seemed to wake me up. I quickly noticed that we weren't outside anymore, but inside what looked to be a cave. The only source of light was a fire that illuminated the small cavern. I looked up to see Genevieve staring daggers at someone across from me but my vision was still a little blurred that I couldn't exactly make out the other person. I made my way to sit up but felt someone pushing me back down._

"_You still have a number of injuries that need to heal, child. It's best if you rest for a while longer." A deep booming voice said. Genevieve seemed to finally notice me and her expression quickly softened. _

"_Leah, are you feeling alright?" She asked. I nodded, trying to get up only to be pushed back down again. I caught the person's wrist in my hand and my eyes traveled up the arm to meet a pair of dark green eyes staring back at me. _

_Genevieve cleared her throat before speaking. "Leah, I would like to introduce you to your new master, Horus."_

_I finally tore my eyes away from Horus and looked over the rest of him. He was tall and built the same as Sam or Jacob. Unlike the aforementioned wolves, however, he wore more clothing. He had on a black wife beater that had many holes in them. His jeans were in the same condition as his shirt. His raven hair was short like Sam's hair. In the firelight, his skin seemed to be a creamy alabaster color. _

"_Um, may I have my arm back?" He asked. _

_Immediately I let go and blushed slightly. He and Genevieve seemed to notice and started to laugh, making me blush more. Genevieve hugged me and brought my head to rest on her lap. _

"_I suppose I'm a fascinating and beautiful creature, aren't I?" Horus mused._

_Genevieve rolled her eyes and scoffed. "Yes, like a rabid animal adorned with a pretty bow. I suppose a nice bath, hair cut, shave, new clothes, and cologne might make your self judgment much more accurate." _

"_You're just jealous, your Highness." Genevieve scowled at the name. "Now, lets get down to business, shall we? What is your name, child?" _

"_Leah Clearwater." I answered shyly. _

"_Well, Ms. Clearwater, think of me as your brother/master/mentor for the next year or so." He smiled widely, which in turn made me smile back. _

"_So, what exactly are you?" I asked him. He didn't smell like a human at all, especially from the way we reacted to each other. He didn't have the same smell that most vampires had, but he smelled like something much more primal. Genevieve must have been altering our scents or something so that we weren't at each others throats at the moment. _

"_Well, Genevieve spoke to me about what you and your pack brothers are. Shape-shifters, able to shift into wolves whenever you choose. You're not exactly human and not exactly a true werewolf like I am." _

_I stared at him in shock. "Y-you're a Child of the Moon?" He nodded. I looked at Genevieve and she nodded, confirming that this was true. _

"_Your other masters could be able to prepare you as much as they would like Ms. Clearwater, but you'd never know what it was like against a werewolf unless you trained with a werewolf." He explained. _

_I was worried that I wouldn't even get to see Amaris, but Genevieve assured me that no great harm was going to happen to me. I quickly learned that Horus was over half a millennia old and he met Genevieve when she initially left the Volturi. She was traveling around Russia when they ran into each other, and he almost tried to kill her. She quickly befriended him and he even traveled with her for about a hundred years before they parted ways. _

_Horus was a really nice person once you got to know him. He reminded me of Jared a bit. Like Jared, he was calm and mellow. He was very levelheaded and thought things through, which made him an excellent warrior. When the Volturi decided to wipe out all the werewolves, he didn't head into certain doom like most of his brethren. Stealthily, he observed the Guard and learned more about their abilities, and he was even able to kill one of them. _

_Training with him was painstakingly agonizing and a slow process. From our training, I learned that the Children of the Moon were able to retain their wolf aspects in their human form. Even the most recently turned wolf had the ability to do so, but to control the wolf was much more difficult in either form and took a lot of work. _

_Most days, Horus would make me train in my human form, explaining that if my human form got stronger and faster then my wolf form would be stronger and faster as well. He pushed me way beyond my limits and kept pushing me harder still. There were a few times that Genevieve had to intervene because I was on the verge of passing out. _

_As we started to hit the eight-month mark, Horus had me training in my wolf form and then phasing in and out of both forms while fighting. It helped me get faster and more cunning. It would leave the opponent guessing and help me counter moves that were meant for me when I was in my wolf form. _

_At a year and three months, Horus decided that it was time for him to fight me as a werewolf. I was a little nervous, but confident in the training that he gave me. True werewolves were bloodthirsty creatures in their wolf forms, their minds were basically hardwired to kill and it was almost impossible to learn how to control that form. Horus had worked many years in trying to do so and almost got himself killed a few times in the process. _

"_Nervous?" Genevieve asked. _

"_Yeah, fighting Horus isn't going to be like fighting Paul or Jared. It's weird to think that I might actually die from fighting a cousin of my own kind. Didn't think I'd go down like this." I laughed humorlessly. _

"_You really believe that you are going to die in this fight? Leah, what kind of attitude is that? I mean, honestly, do you think Horus would have actually decided to fight you if he thought you were anything but ready? Relatively speaking, you are more than ready to fight him and you have a great possibility of winning. Now, stop wallowing in your self-doubt and get ready to kick that cocky werewolf's derriere." She exclaimed before grabbing me roughly by the arm and dragging me outside. _

_It was a crisp evening and the sun was starting to set. The moon would be out in any moment, but I couldn't see Horus anywhere. I tried to smell the air for him, but I couldn't find his scent either. I turned to ask Genevieve what was going on but she was gone. Oh, crap. _

_The next thing I knew, I was being slammed into a nearby boulder by an enormous wolf. It was Horus. As a wolf, he was black with white spotting on his paws, tail, and stomach. He looked to be around the same size as Sam but smaller than Jacob. He lunged at me again but this time I dodged him. He was insanely fast and hit harder than I thought. I had to be careful. _

_I started to back away slowly and he followed my movements. We started to circle each other as I heard a deep growl build up in his chest. I lunged at him while he tried to dodge, but I grabbed onto his back and drove my elbow into his ribs. He yelped loudly and snapped his massive jaws at me. _

_He got a good grip on my arm and threw me roughly into the air. I drew my arms and legs in to try and stabilize my body, and when I was finally more or less stable in the air, I clawed my nails into one of the boulders. Looking around quickly, I saw that Horus had disappeared once again. Quickly, I phased and sniffed the air in an attempt to get even the smallest trace of him. I heard a noise from in front of me and I didn't think before quickly springing at the source. _

_It was indeed Horus and I grabbed his neck with my jaws, trying to close his windpipe and make him submit. He must've realized what I was attempting to do because he started to claw at any part of my body that he could reach. I phased back and threw his weakened body against the ground, breaking his left hind leg in the process. It made a horrible crunching sound but I didn't have time to worry about that at the moment. _

_He howled in pain and I took the opportunity to phase back and closed his windpipe again. Slowly, he started to stop struggling until I was sure that he lost all consciousness. I didn't let go for a few more seconds, just to make sure. Genevieve was beside me in a matter of seconds, staring at Horus with shock. She quickly took him into her arms and ran back into the cavern, I trudged slowly back up the mountain behind her. _

_Horus was still unconscious by the time that I got back and Genevieve was setting the leg that I broke. Horus was still in his wolf form, which struck me odd. _

"_Leah, he is a Child of the Moon. They follow the lunar patterns when it comes to changing into this form. He will not change back until the morning. It would be easier to set his leg if he was human, but I suppose this is fine for now." She explained. _

_I nodded and sat down next to her. "I can't believe I actually did it. It was pretty surreal, fighting him." _

"_But you did amazing. And, for your information, you have gotten amazingly better at fighting and your speed has increased dramatically. When you went in for the final attack is when I really saw the difference. I am proud of you and so is he." She said. _

_Horus ended waking up around noon the next day. He was a little mad, not that I had beaten him, but that I had gone and broken his leg. I tried to explain that it was necessary, but he just huffed like a baby until Genevieve reminded him that he was being way to arrogant to begin with. Eventually he congratulated me and told me that I did fine by breaking him a little since his intention was to kill. Even as trained as he was, he was still an animal and a fight drove him crazy, just like Genevieve. After that, we stayed for an extra month to hone my skills a bit more and by the time we left, I was stronger, faster, and more relentless than ever before. _

"Oh no, fighting Horus was child's play. I suppose you could describe a fight with me as a mouse against a lion." She mused. I started to panic but she caught on quick on told me not to worry.

"I would have preferred not to fight you, but the circumstances have changed. If I suddenly stop, then it will only be because I feel my control slipping. If that happens, I need you to run as far and as fast as you can away from me. Understood?" I nodded.

I knew fighting Genevieve wasn't going to be a walk in the park, but she was the only one who could push me as hard as Horus did. She wasn't particularly happy that she had to train me, but it wasn't like anyone else around here really could. I looked over at Genevieve and saw that she was heading away from me so I followed until she told me to stop.

One moment she was on the ground and the next she was situated on one of the branches of a tall Sitka Spruce. She gestured to the tree behind me and I obeyed, letting my instincts take over. I crouched down and shot into the tree, climbing the branches swiftly. In a matter of seconds, I was at an even ground with Genevieve.

"Why are we up here?" I asked her, knowing she heard me perfectly.

"I always told you to mind your surroundings when you were training. Well, this will be the ultimate test I suppose you could say. The lesson will consist of the following: you are _not_ allowed to touch the ground, once you hit me with an attack you will not let up, you have to use the branches and trunks of the trees as leverage, and the lesson will only stop when you are able to deal the fatal blow." She explained.

I nodded and the fight ensued. Genevieve used the branch she was standing on to propel herself in the air and attack me. I jumped up to grab the branch above me, but Genevieve was way too fast and grabbed my leg, yanking me off the tree. I was about to hit the ground, but thankfully I grabbed a low branch. I sighed in relief.

She laughed. "Come on, She-wolf. Do you want the lesson to end so early?"

I scowled and climbed to a branch that could better support my weight. Once I was sure that the branch I was standing on could support me, I backed all the way into the trunk and leaped to the adjacent tree. I looked up to see Genevieve was gone. I tried to tune into any noise that she would make but I knew she was smarter than to make the same mistake that Horus did. And I was right because the next thing I knew I was falling again, but this time I used one of the nearby branches and swung straight into the air, landing on a smaller Spruce tree.

"Mind your surroundings." Genevieve said in a singsong voice.

I was starting to get really annoyed that I couldn't get even one hit on her. She was playing games with me instead of really teaching me anything. And not only that, but her games were working. I couldn't focus. But…that was the point of her game. To get me to lose my focus.

I closed my eyes and slowed my breathing. I let my body get attuned to the feel of the tree beneath my feet, the smell of the air, the different sounds of the forest, and the taste of the moist air. If I focused enough, I'd be able to feel the smallest movement in the air, leading me straight to Genevieve. I sprang up, swinging up to the next branch, to see Genevieve punch through the branch I was on only a moment before.

"You're going to have to do better than that _princess_." I smirked.

She laughed. "Ah, but we have only just began."

* * *

Jacob's P.O.V

I groaned as I felt someone jumping up and down on my back, attempting to wake me up. I opened one eye to look at the culprit who was none other than Alice Cullen, or Pixie as I liked to call her. Why the hell had she decided to wake me up like this, I would never know. When it came to her, it was better not to ask.

"Jacob, it's time to get up, don't you think?" Her tinkling voice seemed to resonate loudly in my ears. Her voice always seemed much more high-pitched in the mornings. The perfect alarm clock for a dead tired shape-shifter.

"It's too early to be awake! Pixie, stop jumping on my back! You're going to break me in half!" I half yelled, half yawned at her.

She stopped jumping on my back long enough for me to toss her off of me. Jasper caught her before she hit the floor and growled at me. She patted his hand in assurance, telling him that she was fine. I looked up a minute later and she was still standing by the couch, eyeing me. I couldn't sleep knowing that she was standing right there just staring at me.

I sighed. "Pixie, seriously, I got back from patrolling around the area a little while ago, can't you give me just a few more hours of sleep?" Embry had come over last night and told me about the incident with the vampire. I was angry and shocked, to say the least, and as soon as Embry left, I went out to patrol the perimeter of the Cullen's house for a couple of hours. I only stopped when Edward came to find me and insisted that I got back to the house and sleep.

"Jacob Black! You promised that _we_ would go shopping today after you refused the last six times. Now, I don't care if you _just_ got home, but you are going _today_ and that's that!" She screeched.

"Fine!" I groaned. Pixie threw a shirt and some shorts at me and told me to hurry up. I threw her a glare, but quickly stopped when I saw the mischievous glint in her eyes. That was never a good sign when it came from Alice. She could scare the crap out of anyone, except for Rosalie or Leah.

I felt the pain creep itself back into my heart as I remembered the last conversation that we had. She said that she didn't love me and that she would never love me in that way. But I knew that she was lying. Genevieve wouldn't have come to me and offer to help me if she didn't think Leah loved me. But still, the words were like venom to me and it took all that Jasper had not to cry out in pain when I came over the next evening. Edward and Jasper took me aside and tried to talk to me, but the only thing that made me feel any better was the fact that they would also be at Genevieve's disposal in helping me.

I shook off the thoughts and left the bathroom that Pixie had all but dragged me into. When she came into view, she was tapping her foot incessantly. I raised an eyebrow at her and she pointed at her watch, as if saying that time was being wasted.

I rolled my eyes at her and headed into the kitchen where Esme, Emmett, and Jasper were. Esme made me a plate of food and scolded at Pixie for waking me up after I only had a few short hours to sleep. I stifled a laugh and began to devour the food in front of me.

"Jake, you're not going out looking like that are you?" Emmett asked. I looked at him quizzically and he continued. "You look like a mess! You don't have any make up on, your hair isn't done, and look at that outfit! I don't approve at all." He said dramatically. I rolled my eyes and snorted at him.

I was just about to retort when we all heard a deafening sound. It sounded like thunder, but it wasn't even cloudy outside. The noise wouldn't stop either, it kept coming in three-second intervals. Only one thing could make that type of noise and the moment we realized it, we headed towards the noise.

I phased, ignoring Pixie's indignant huff. Shortly after, the others joined us and we started running. I heard the distinct sound of someone phasing and soon Embry and Quil had joined me.

'_Jake, are the Cullen's playing baseball or something?'_ Embry asked.

'_No. We were at the house when we heard it. The sound must be loud for you guys to be able to hear it.' _I thought. Whatever or whoever was making the noise was endangering all of our existences and we had to get to it as fast as possible.

'_Yeah, dude. I saw Sam rounding up the troops when the noise started. They're probably heading out here too.'_ Quil informed me.

Sure enough, Sam phased a minute later. He asked me the same thing that Embry did and when I told him that it wasn't the Cullen's he started to bark out orders to his pack.

The noise started to get louder, our only indication that we were getting closer. Edward had me tell my pack and Sam's to try and spread out so we could completely surround whatever it was that was making the now earsplitting sound.

We started to creep forward slowly, but none of us could see the source of the noise. _'What the hell? Does anyone see anything?'_

'_Jake, it's coming from above!'_ Quil barked.

We all looked up and saw two figures going at each other. It was the most incredible thing that I ever saw. Both of them were jumping from tree to tree, using the branches to propel themselves high into the air, pushing off from the trunks to get more power behind the attacks. They never let up. One attack lead to another and another, never stopping, not even for a second. It was insane.

Finally, the two figures dropped to the ground, leaving a small crater in their wake. Dirt and rocks flew into the air making it hard to see who the two figures were. When it finally cleared, I heard loud growls and snarls from Sam and his pack. I walked forward to get a better look at the two figures and tensed at the scene.

There, in the middle of the crater, were Genevieve and Leah. Genevieve was on Leah's back, her mouth secured on Leah's neck, lips curled back so that you could see her teeth perfectly. Leah was on one knee, her hands grabbing onto Genevieve's head by her neck, clawing into her head, almost ready to rip it off cleanly.

I felt the anger radiating off of my brother's and myself, and heard the Cullen's snarling a little as well. The girls seemed to finally take notice and they both quirked an eyebrow as if asking what the hell was wrong with us. Leah let go of Genevieve and visa versa.

"You're interrupting us. Leave. Now." Leah told us coldly.

Genevieve sighed. "I suppose it does not matter, Leah. The rules were, whoever hit the ground first loses, and I believe that was you."

Leah turned to her and nodded. "Yeah, I guess I did."

"What the hell were you two doing? We could hear you fightingfrom _La Push_. Hell, I think everyone in _Washington_ heard you two." Quil said.

"Really? I must have miscalculated how far away we needed to be." Genevieve said.

Leah sighed. "I knew we weren't far enough. We aren't in the middle of nowhere anymore, Genevieve. I told you we should have gone farther."

"Leah, she was about to bite you! How can you be so nonchalant about all of this?!" Sam yelled. I noticed everyone else had phased so I ran behind the nearest tree to do the same. I came back to catch the next part of their conversation.

"Well, _Sam_, I was never in any real danger of dying." She looked hesitant but Genevieve nodded for her to continue. "Death was never an outcome. We were just…training."

I was in slight shock. We came here expecting to find two leeches fighting, but instead we find Leah and Genevieve going at it savagely. Genevieve was at the point that if she bit down a little more, Leah would be dead. And if Leah had pulled her head, she would have decapitated Genevieve. They were both so calm and collected that I wondered if we were being tricked or something. I looked around and saw that everyone was still on edge.

"Why, or rather, what are you training for exactly, Leah?" Edward asked suspiciously.

Leah looked away, refusing to answer him. She wouldn't meet anyone's eyes, which started to make me feel nervous. I was sure that Genevieve was encouraging her to talk, but Leah seemed to completely refuse. Genevieve sighed and locked eyes with Carlisle. They seemed to be having a conversation, one that Genevieve wouldn't let Edward in on, judging from his frustrated expression.

"I think it's time…that we told you all the truth. It's going to be really difficult to digest, but I suppose there's no more time for delay. Please, let us go back to our home and we'll discuss it all there." Carlisle spoke. We all looked at him and agreed.

When we got there, Seth was sitting on the porch. Leah gestured for him to come over and he did as she asked. She whispered something in his ear, something too low for me to hear, and I saw him tense up immediately. Whatever was going on, Carlisle, Genevieve, Leah, and Seth all knew but had hidden it from the rest of us. I wondered for just how long.

Leah spoke first. "I wish you guys didn't have to be involved, but I guess we have no other choice. This involves all of you as much as it involves us." She looked so forlorn and in pain that all I wanted to do was go up to her and make everything better.

"Do you all remember when the Volturi came here for Renesmee, Aro mentioned something about you wolves joining the guard?" We all nodded. "Well, Aro has achieved this, however, instead of a shape-shifter he was able to acquire the help of a Child of the Moon." Genevieve stated.

A mix of gasps, growls, and snarls erupted from the entire group gathered there. I couldn't believe what they were saying. How could they keep something like this from all of us? Before I could voice my thoughts, Carlisle spoke up.

"Apparently, this isn't the worst of it. It seems as if the Volturi are planning to attack us with the child that they've raised and changed into a Child of the Moon. She is dangerous and quite volatile, especially for being only a child. She was trained by the Volturi, so I can assuredly say that she's been trained by some of the best. When they come, they're not just coming for my family and the wolves, they're coming to kill anyone we've ever loved."

Genevieve hesitated before speaking again. "Her name is Amaris. She is only a child, but she is one of the deadliest creatures out there. If any of you were to try to fight her, you would die, point blank."

"When?" Edward hissed.

"The first snow of Winter." Leah answered dejectedly. Absolute and complete silence fell on everyone. All I could think about was that we only had six months to live before some freaky werewolf _kid_ came and killed us. And they knew, all of them knew and they didn't bother to tell us. How selfish could they be? How heartless could they be that they couldn't tell us that we were going to die so goddamn soon?

"How long have you known about this?" Sam growled.

"A few months after I left." Leah answered.

"H-how could you not tell us? How could think that it was okay for you to know for five years and not tell us?! Don't you think we had a right to know?! Didn't we have a right to know that they were coming here to take everyone we ever cared about out of existence?! How the fuck could you not tell us?!" Sam yelled.

Seth growled back. "You don't know anything."

"No, but apparently you do! You're just as much to blame as them Seth! Think about your mom and your cousin, my wife. Think about your little cousins! Five fucking years! We could have been training or coming up with plans and strategies! You've all left us here to die!" Sam retorted.

"Just shut the fuck up Sam! You can't just fucking judge us without knowing the facts! You can't judge us without knowing all the fucking _sacrifices_ all of us had to make to ensure that all of you could live happy lives up to this point! You have no idea about all the years I spent fucking training, all the years of resentment Seth has had to deal with, all the years of guilt that Carlisle has for not telling any of you, or all the years Genevieve has had to try and control herself enough so that she could kill this _child_ without the help of anyone!

"You have no fucking clue and all you can do is stand there and judge! I've had to sacrifice _five years_ of my life, my friends, and my family so that all of you could walk away from this battle unscathed! I spent all of those years training for this battle that I might not come out of alive! _None_ of you were meant to fight this child, _I _was. I was picked by Fate herself to fight a child who is even more compassionless than the _leeches_ who made her.

"All this responsibility falls on me because I'm the only one who has any chance to kill her. My life, as well as all of yours, is hanging in the balance. I could have spent these last few years having fun, hanging out with Rosalie or Alice, going to weddings, helping with baby showers, but I didn't. While you were enjoying a day on the beach, I was almost passing out from exhaustion. While you were eating a nice dinner with your family, I was studying every single way that there was to kill a person. While you were tucked into your bed with Emily at your side, I was fighting some of the deadliest warriors on this planet. And for what? So you could keep enjoying all of the things you were doing while I was away. For once, think about all the fucking things I've had to give up in _my_ life just so you could be happy with _yours_!"

Leah's eyes were filled with fire and the tears continued to fall. Everyone stayed quiet and listened intently throughout Leah's tirade, and at the end, none of us could stand to look at her in the eyes. She had spent years away from her family, friends, and home to train for a battle that she might not come out of alive. She spent years fighting and training so that we could all enjoy our lives. She paid a price that none of us might have agreed to. She was paying with her life and blood.

"Leah…" Esme whispered.

She held up her hand and Esme quieted down. "None of you have paid a heavier price than I have. _None_ of you. I've had to give up so much of my life for a supernatural world that I never asked to be a part of. I voluntarily gave you all _five years_ to have some sense of a _normal_ life, the one that I always wanted. None of you have the right to say that I was selfish, or stupid, or any other crap that you can come up with. All of you have families and established lives, but I don't. Logically, I was the best choice to fight against Amaris. And do you know why? Because I have nothing to lose. _Nothing_."

I had enough. "Nothing to lose? Nothing? _Bullshit_ _Leah!_ You have everything to fucking lose! You have your mom and Seth to lose! You have us, your pack, to lose! You have your _life_ to lose! I can't think of anything more important that your goddamn life, and yet you think that it's worth nothing! We could have prepared and we could have helped you! Why are you so goddamn fucking stubborn?!" My body was shaking with anger. I couldn't believe that she thought she had nothing to lose. In this battle, I had her to lose, and that was more painful than anything anyone could ever do to me.

"Collin, Edward, Emmett, Jacob, Jasper, Paul, and Sam. Would you boys be so kind as to form a circle around Leah?" Genevieve asked. I was about to argue but one glance at her face made me think otherwise. We stood about seven feet away from Leah and spread out evenly.

"Thank you so much. Leah, you know what to do. Now, when I count to three I would like all of you to attack Leah in any form that you wish."

"Whoa, whoa, whoa. You want us to _attack_ Leah? All of us? At the same time?" Collin asked incredulously.

Genevieve nodded. "Precisely. You can either do it voluntarily of your own free will or…" She trailed off. From the corner of my eye, I saw Edward and Jasper shiver from the other possibility. Personally, I didn't care to know what it was so I readied myself and phased. Sam and Jared phased, but Collin and Paul decided to fight in their human forms.

"Ready? One…two…three!" Genevieve called out.

Paul and Jared were the first ones to lunge at Leah who stood in the middle of the circle, smirking to herself. I held back, letting the other two be the guinea pigs. Leah ran towards Jared and looked like she was about to collide with him, but at the last second she veered off to the right and turned to run at Paul. I looked at Jared and saw him crumple to the floor in pain, but I didn't even see Leah touch him.

'_Jared thinks he has a couple of ribs broken, his front right paw, and a gash above his eye.'_ Sam explained to me. I raised an eyebrow, but he ignored me and nodded at Paul.

Leah was about to get to Paul, but he jumped high in the sky and right over her. When he looked back, she was gone. She was still here, but I couldn't see her. We were all looking around for her when we head a loud crack and saw that Paul had been thrown into a tree.

'_Wait, what the fuck? Was that Leah?'_ I thought to Sam. He shrugged but was suddenly pushed into the ground and I heard the sickening crunch of a few bones. I looked over, only to see the blur that was Leah disappear once again.

The only ones left were Edward, Emmet, Jasper, and me. Leah suddenly appeared in the middle of the circle and Emmett charged at her, excitement clearly etched on his face. She smiled at him brightly but made no move to get away. He got to her and wrapped his arms around her in a vicious bear hug, crushing her body as tightly as he could. Leah seemed to whisper something to Emmett that made his eyes widen and her smile grew even larger.

It looked like Emmett had the upper hand, but suddenly he let her go and stood completely still. I moved to the side to get a better look and saw that Leah had both hands _inside_ of Emmett's lower abdomen. She lifted him in the air with ease and threw him to the side like a rag doll.

Edward and Jasper let out menacing growls and lunged at her at the same time. Leah jumped in the air and landed on Edward's shoulders, ripping his head right off of his neck. Jasper hesitated for a moment and Leah took advantage of it and ripped his right arm out of its socket and kicked him into a tree just like Paul.

I was the only one left. She slowly turned to me and raised an eyebrow. I titled my head to the side, wondering what she was thinking. She phased unexpectedly and I was bombarded with primal instincts that I'd never experienced in my life. At that moment, Leah and her wolf were one in the same. Both were going on pure instincts that were directed towards me.

She crouched low, readying herself for the attack. I copied her movement and ran at her at the same time she ran at me. We kicked off of the ground and I prepared myself for the head on impact but was left surprised when she suddenly phased back and hitched a ride on my back. I tried to shake her off the moment that I landed back on the ground but I stopped when I felt sharp claws dig into my neck. But that didn't make sense, Leah hadn't phased back, she was still human. That was my last coherent thought before I started to feel lightheaded and fell to the ground.

Moments later, I found Carlisle tending to my wounds and scolding Leah. She looked guilty and her eyes were full of worry. What the hell happened?

"You passed out, but it was only a few moments. You're going to be alright." Edward said. He turned to look at Leah and she gave him a sheepish smile. He shrugged and walked back to his family.

"I bet you're wondering how I took you down huh?" She asked and I nodded. "Well, I learned a couple of things while I was away and this," she held out her hand which was phased, "is one of them." I thought my eyes were going to fly out of my eye sockets when I saw her hand.

Once the seven of us were looked at by Carlisle, we headed back to join the others. A few of the younger wolves were trying to stifle their laughs and were failing miserably, while some of the others exchanged looks of horror at what had just occurred. I couldn't blame them.

"Now, unless any of you are able to do that in the same amount of time that Leah was able to, then I suggest you keep your opinions to yourself about why we refused to tell you. Yes, we could have probably gone about this a different way, but I am more than certain that the results speak for themselves." Genevieve said.

Edward sighed. "That still doesn't make this situation any less of a problem, Genevieve. Both you and Carlisle knew about this and refused to mention it. This isn't something that is easily forgiven." I agreed. They must have known before they ever mentioned it to Leah, making them more to blame.

"We know Edward, but this was how it was supposed to work out. I hope you will forgive us one day, even if it is not anytime soon. We did this with the best intentions, you must believe us, but I understand your point of view and if I was in your position, I would probably feel the same." Genevieve said sadly.

After an hour of arguments and more harsh words, we had agreed that when Leah and Genevieve weren't training, they would help everyone be a little bit more prepared for the upcoming battle. Sam and I also came to the agreement that Carlisle, Genevieve, and Leah would accompany both of us the next day to report this news to the Council.

Most of the younger wolves were okay with Leah being the main contender in the fight, but the older ones were angry and hurt that she would sell herself short and risk her life for ours. Amazingly, Paul forgave Leah right after she kicked his ass and embraced her tightly. I was able to hear him say that if she didn't come out of this alive, he'd find some way to bring her back and then kill her himself. She laughed and promised that she'd try to stay alive. Sam left immediately after, not even bothering to say bye to anyone. Embry and Quil cornered Leah and begged her to teach them some of the moves she used today, which she agreed to wholeheartedly.

Emmett sneaked up on Leah only to get thrown over her shoulder and screamed at to never try that again. Alice, Jasper, and Rosalie smiled at her sadly and offered to be at her side when the battle started. She shook her head slowly and told them that she appreciated it, but that this was a battle that was preordained especially for her. Genevieve and Seth were talking with Esme, trying to reassure that Leah was strong and that she'd be able to do this. Bella and Nessie were staring at Leah warily and I could faintly see the fear that both of their faces held.

Honestly, I didn't know what to think at the moment. On one hand, they should have told us about all of this way before, but on the other hand, I felt that Leah could come out of this the victor. But…what if she didn't? What if after all those years, she ended up being killed by that girl? Or…what if the Volturi decided to take her captive and brainwash her the way they did to that girl? Too many scenarios were popping into my head, and I couldn't handle it anymore.

I phased and ran away from the Cullen's backyard without a backwards glance. I need to get away from here for a couple of hours to clear my head. I felt someone phase and was about to command them to phase back when I realized that it was Leah.

'_I-I'm sorry, Jake. I hope you'll forgive me someday.'_ Her thoughts were sad and damn near heartbreaking. She had thought about every scenario that I had, but the only thing that made them better, for her, was thinking that at least I'd be alive and happy.

'_Leah, I-I forgive you, it's just a lot of information to take in. I just need a few hours to myself. I-I'll see you tomorrow.'_

'_I understand. I'll see you later then.'_ Before she phased back, I was able to catch a lingering thought in her head. _'Love you Jake…'_

I sighed inwardly and pushed myself harder than before. _'I love you too, Lee. More than you'll ever know.' _

_

* * *

_

**Woo! A little bit of angsty fluff at the end there. Oh, yeah, so Edward was kinda mad at Leah ripping his head off, but he forgave her. He he. Oh and what Leah told Emmett was that his hug was nowhere near as strong as it used to be, which made Emmett freak a little cuz he tried his very hardest. Final thoughts: I heart Horus, Sam's an a-hole, and the fight took all of 6 minutes and 24 seconds. **

**R&R dearies! Lots of love from me!  
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	15. Let's Watch the World UpsideDown

**Disclaimer: ****I do not own Twilight or any of its characters. **

**A.N: Sorry for the late update, I've been super sick for the past week or so. Ugh. Anyways, 'tis the next chapter! Makes me happy! I had to re-write it like 5 times because my damn fever kept on screwing with my creativeness..sss....sss...sssssssss......s. :D The pace will seem a bit fast later on near the end, but eh. Hee hee, hope you like it. :D  
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* * *

**Let's Watch the World Upside-Down**

_Two months later..._

Jacob's P.O.V

Two months had passed since the incident in the forest with Leah. Carlisle, Genevieve and Leah had come with Sam and me to talk with the Council about the most recent developments the day after it occurred. The meeting didn't necessarily go as smooth as I would have liked, but it had to be done.

As soon as the Council was up to speed, complete and total chaos broke out. Old Quil started screaming at Leah, saying that as a wolf it was her duty and responsibility to report any and all dangers that could come to our tribe. Billy said something similar, but didn't chastise her as much as he did Carlisle and Genevieve. Sue looked so disappointed at Leah and at Genevieve, and I could've sworn that I saw a tear roll down Leah's cheek. The other Council members started panicking and were making plans to leave La Push and finding ways to evacuate everyone without telling them about our secret.

Genevieve was the one who ended the spectacle when she used her abilities to allow everyone in the room to see the fight between Leah and her seven opponents. They stared at Leah in shock and an awkward silence fell over everyone. It wasn't until Sue got up and took Leah into her arms, crying for her daughter's fate, that the silence finally lifted. Leah held her sobbing mother in her arms, a few tears making their way down her cheeks.

When Sue finally calmed down, Billy and Old Quil were the first ones to talk. They agreed that Genevieve would continue to train Leah and then would dedicate time to helping the other wolves train. Sue agreed as well, but put a condition that none of the wolves or Leah would drop everything just for this battle. She ordered us to have some fun when we weren't training and asked Genevieve to respect her request, which she agreed to immediately.

For the next few days after the meeting, Leah trained with Genevieve for at least four hours early in the mornings. Both packs and the Cullen's would congregate in the Cullen's backyard right after, waiting for Genevieve and Leah to decide on the regimen for the day. That first week they assessed what we needed to work on and then they would go from there.

They had us running long-distance and sprinting, climbing and jumping, fighting as wolves and humans, pushing us way beyond our limits. They started us hard and warned us that things were only going to get tougher from here on out. After the week was finally over, they came to the conclusion that we needed to work _heavily_ on our fighting skills and our speed. Genevieve was going to train the younger wolves and Leah would train the older wolves plus the Cullen's. The younger wolves seemed more than enthusiastic to train with Genevieve and strangely enough asked her to push them even more than she ever did with Leah. They regretted it after the first ten minutes.

The weeks after, the real training started. Leah found it difficult, at first, to pair us off because we all pretty much fought at the same levels. In the end, she decided that she would train five of us at a time while the others would work on speed drills. It felt a bit weird fighting her at the beginning and she picked up on it quickly. She did everything to taunt me into fighting her at my best, and it worked. I was able to graze her slightly, but she quickly put an end to anything more than that when she threw me _through_ a boulder.

After that, the injury list steadily increased as we got into more difficult training. The younger wolves training with Genevieve started to show a lot of progress and would sometimes be paired off with the more experienced wolves and the Cullen's for sparing sessions. They were surprisingly strategic and fast for the amount of training they'd received. Not to be outdone by Genevieve, Leah had us going even harder than the pups and I had a few shattered ribs to prove it.

"Licking your wounds, Jacob?" I turned to see Edward leaning on a nearby tree. The Cullen's were improving a little bit faster than the wolves, and when Leah joked about it, the wolves picked up the pace. Edward had yet to speak to Carlisle and Genevieve, but I couldn't really blame him. I was still pretty mad at them myself, but the hurt I saw in their faces made me break little by little.

I scoffed. "Wounds? I'd call them scratches at best."

"Oh really?" He asked. In the blink of an eye, he was standing in front of me and pushed the bandages Carlisle had wrapped around my ribcage. I hissed in pain and jumped back. The asshole had the audacity to laugh at me.

"For scratches, they seem as if they hurt quite a bit. You should have Genevieve look at them, she might be able to heal you faster." He suggested. I ignored him and wrapped an arm around my injured ribs, sitting down on the ground.

"She's strong, you know. You don't have to worry about her as much as you think you do. Genevieve and her _friends_ have trained Leah well." He said. I looked over and glared at him. Of course she was strong, I had the freaking injuries to prove it. That didn't change the fact that she could possibly die in a battle that was never hers to begin with.

He sighed. "You're wrong." I looked at him quizzically.

He continued. "This battle was always Leah's. I picked out from Carlisle and Genevieve's minds that this battle has been foreseen for the last fifty years. Apparently, Genevieve had a vision in which she saw Carlisle, Aro, me, and a few others. She confirmed it when she saw the same geographical features of our yard compared to her vision. It wasn't very clear, but she saw two large wolves, one with a grey coat and the other white. A fierce battle erupted between the two wolves. She wasn't able to see the outcome, but she was able to see a vast amount of blood. It was Leah's fate to fight, and there's nothing we can do to change it."

I took a couple of deep breaths to calm the tremors taking over my body. There _was_ something we could do and that was to train until the very last minute. I wouldn't let Leah go into this battle alone.

"If the child is as powerful and dangerous as they think she is, then all we're really doing is deluding ourselves into thinking that all this training is going to help."

I wanted to yell at him for how wrong he was, but I couldn't because part of me knew that he was right. There was no way that any of us could get anywhere near the level that Genevieve and Leah were at in just six months. Leah had to give up five years of her life for this, while the rest of us did nothing but sit around here and think we were safe. There was nothing that I could do to save her and I hated myself for it. As Alpha, it was my responsibility to make sure that everyone stays safe, but here I couldn't even keep the most important person to me out of harm's way.

Leah had to bare the burden of killing a brainwashed child from a coven of power-hungry leeches who were coming to kill us all. She was sacrificing her life just so the rest of us could live happily ever after. Fate already forced her to lose the love of her life, her father, her normal _human_ life, her ability to have children, and now _this_. Leah had already given up so much, the only thing that was remaining was her actual _life_. And at the moment, that was up in the air.

I used to think that my life was incomparably fucked up when I had fallen in love with Bella and then obsessed over her for such a long time only to lose her to Edward. I had run away from all of my problems and only returned to see the girl of my dreams marry the man of hers. Then, I had the luck of imprinting on their daughter, who I was only moments away from killing after her birth. I was pathetic.

I was broken out of my thoughts by Edward. "Get a grip, _mutt!_ She's not doing this just for you, so please stop with the self-pity party. She knew the risks before agreeing to fight this child and she still accepted. What she needs right now is for all of us to support her and help what could be the last six months of her life go by smoothly."

"Shut—" Before I could finish my sentence he cut me off.

"Jacob, don't make this time left harder for her than it already is." Edward moved to get up and turned away from me. Again, I knew he was right and that I was being selfish, but could he really blame me for thinking like that?

He sighed. "Go talk to Genevieve."

I scoffed. "How about you take your own advice?" I saw him tense up for a second but he continued walking, not bothering to respond.

After Edward left, I stayed rooted to the ground for hours until I finally become aware of the oncoming night. I finally got up from my spot and walked off, not really caring where I was going. After walking for about ten minutes, I ended up at the cliffs, one of Leah's favorite spots. The wind shook the tree's violently, foretelling a storm that was probably minutes away from here. As the wind blew, I caught the unique scent that belonged to none other than Genevieve, but when I looked around she was nowhere to be seen.

I shrugged it off and walked to the edge of the cliffs. As I went to sit down, I almost fell off from shock when I saw Genevieve levitating about two feet away from the me to my left side. I swear, I was never going to get used to her and her freaky abilities.

"I thought you liked my 'freaky abilities'." She said, glancing over her shoulder at me.

I smiled sheepishly. "O-of course I do! They're j-just, um, er, a little, er, _overwhelming_ at times."

"Uh-huh." She turned back around to stare up at the moon that was slightly covered by a few incoming clouds. Her long ebony tresses and tan skin seemed to glow under the moonlit night. Anyone who glanced at her would think she was very serene and tranquil, but her eyes betrayed her emotions. They were troubled, pained, angry, guilty, and so much more. It seemed almost a crime for someone like her to suffer so much, a similarity that she shared with Leah.

"You are quite wrong, young Alpha. Your Beta does not suffer as much as she used to. She has…matured emotionally. My pain is an ancient one, it is not so easily fixed. I have to live with it for all eternity, hoping that one day I find something to help me through it." She came back to the cliffs and took a seat next to me.

"But enough about that, I see Edward has yelled at you." I nodded. "Ignore him, he is not exactly the happy camper that he usually is. It is my fault, I know, but I wish he would just try to understand the situation from my point of view." She smiled sadly at me.

They had been there for each other for many years, through thick and thin. Plus, he was being a huge hypocrite. I heard from Pixie that when Edward went all rebel, Genevieve followed him around, as a favor to Carlisle, and would attempt to coax him back to his family. At first he tried to fight her but failed miserably until he tried ignoring her, which was another failed attempt. Genevieve was persistent and eventually he relented. It wasn't until a few years later that Edward felt grateful enough to thank her.

Edward had so much to owe to Genevieve and Carlisle that it was childish and foolish for him to stay mad at them. In all honesty, he was wasting his time and everyone else's. He could have been there with Carlisle and Genevieve, helping them find another way, or planning other strategies. Instead, he was too busy being angry at them to realize he could be doing more important things.

"Fret not, Jacob. Edward is simply hardheaded, something I feel he may have learned from me. But, no matter, he will get over it soon enough. Anyway, how are things going with Leah?" She asked.

I shrugged. "It's not really going anywhere." I was starting to get frustrated.

"I don't know what to do, Genevieve. I know she loves me, but she won't accept it and she won't let me be with her. I'm starting to lose hope. Every time it's only me and her or I try to talk to her alone, she looks for some way to escape."

"You know," she began, "when I was about twelve years of age, my mother once told me that finding love was the most difficult thing to find, but when you finally found it, it was the best thing that you could ever experience. She told me that if I ever found it, to never let it go no matter what."

She turned to me. "You have to make her see, Jacob. Love her like no other, and never let her go."

"How am I supposed to do that if she barely wants to be around me? And what am I supposed to do with Nessie? I-I just don't know what I'm supposed to do. I don't want to hurt Nessie, but I love Leah." Nessie didn't deserve to be hurt, especially after I had agreed to marry her. I may not have loved her the same way she loved me but that didn't mean that I wouldn't feel her pain if I told her the truth.

She smiled softly. "Jacob, I believe that your _compagno di anima_ may have figured that out on her own." I looked at her quizzically before I heard the rustle of branches and the familiar sweet scent that _should_ have made my heart race.

"Nessie…"

* * *

Renesmee's P.O.V

For the past five years, Leah Clearwater had vanished off the face of this earth along with Genevieve. Everyone went into a frenzy over their sudden disappearance and various theories came up to explain it. Eventually the speculation died down, everyone returned to their normal lives, and almost everyone forgot about the only she-wolf Beta that ever existed.

_Almost_ everyone forgot, that is.

My Jacob had spent months moping about the disappearance of Leah, basically running on autopilot. He still attended to his duties but he was becoming distant from everyone, including me. He used to laugh and smile in a way that made all those around him feel so lighthearted, but his laugh had become empty and hollow. His smile, from anyone else's perceptive, was radiant-looking, but it never quite reached his eyes. My Jacob had become a lifeless man and it was heartbreaking.

Seven or eight months later, my Jacob received news that Leah would be back soon and that she was well. He cheered up for about six months, but quickly began his descent back into sorrow and despair. It hurt me to see him so miserable and I began to feel angry at Leah for hurting him so much. From the day that she left, possibly from before, I knew that he ceased to be _my_ Jacob.

After a while, I started to lose interest in spending time around Jacob and began to immerse myself heavily in studying anything that I could find. I read books on biology, chemistry, history, literature, etc. Jacob would come by everyday and I would fill him in on the things I was reading and facts that I thought would interest him, but I was always met with the same reaction, a nod and smile. I began to ignore his presence and looked for excuses not to be around him.

Eventually, my mother must have caught on to how much Jacob and I had drifted and decided to have a talk with me about it. She had implanted the idea in my head that it was Genevieve who had kidnapped Leah, but a part of me knew that this couldn't be possible. Genevieve was much too kind to do something of that sort. My mother had insisted that I should enforce our imprint bond more than ever and think about Jacob in a much more romantic way. She explained to me that it was for _both_ of our self-interests' and would make us both much happier, especially Jacob.

I eventually conceded.

I had met with Jacob by a nearby stream, where I would make the decision to start a relationship with him. With a fake smile plastered on my face, I voiced the thoughts and feelings that would take away _Jacob's_ pain. Unfortunately, Seth Clearwater witnessed everything that happened that night and had become so enraged that he ended up attacking Jacob a few weeks later.

As our relationship began to grow, I felt the guilt within me grow with it. I did not love Jacob the way that my mother wished me to love him. My father was completely aware of these feelings, but he was also aware of why I would not give up the farce. We argued constantly on the issue and sometimes we would go weeks at a time without speaking to each other. The important thing was Jacob's happiness and I refused to give that up for my own.

The day that he proposed, both our families were gathered in La Push for a bonfire, enjoying the star-filled sky. He got down on one knee and asked me the question I knew he would have eventually asked. Everyone looked at me expectedly, except for my father, and with another fake smile I put on the show of my life and accepted his proposal.

While everyone was to busy to notice, I faintly heard the noise of wood splintering and realizing who it was, I turned around discreetly and searched the woods until I was gazing into the fury-filled eyes of Seth Clearwater.

His eyes were full of so much hate that I winced slightly. Guilt made its way through every corner of my body, and the desire to apologize to Seth and call of the engagement was killing me. But, I couldn't. Jacob was slowly starting to heal from losing Leah and I wasn't going to destroy that for him. Instead, I turned away from Seth's piercing gaze and took my place by my fiancé.

A year had gone by since Jacob proposed and my father and I were still having our usual fights, my mother was more than elated with helping Auntie Alice with the wedding plans, and our engagement party was that night. Personally, I didn't want to attend, but I had no choice. The party had gone on with no interruptions and everything seemed to be smooth sailing from there. Seemed being the operative word.

The Clearwater siblings and Genevieve appeared that night, coming from the darkest corners of the mansion. Absolute awe and panic shot through everyone when they saw her, but I kept my emotions in check. I was…_angry_ that after _five years_ they dared to show their faces again. I was angry that _she_ dared to show her face again after causing Jacob so much pain and misery.

Everyone was suspicious at first, not really believing that it was them, but the suspicion quickly dissipated when Auntie Rose confirmed that Leah Clearwater, the only she-wolf of La Push, had really returned. I glanced at Jacob and saw a mixture of emotions pass through him. I knew the pain that he once felt was coming back and rage built up inside of me at the very thought of Jacob being in pain.

As soon as everyone had said their greetings, I took it upon myself to show her that she was not welcome back and show her all the pain that Jacob had gone through while she was gone. I wanted to show her that he was actually starting to let the pain go until she came back. And right as I was about to, Genevieve stood in front of me and Seth flew to the door with his sister in his arms.

"Non è il vostro posto per mostrarle quello." Genevieve scolded me in Italian.

"Lei dovrebbe sapare tutto il dolore che ha causato." I growled low enough for her to hear. I glared at her before she turned away and ushered Seth and Leah out the door. Leah looked confused at what happened but wasn't given any time to understand. As soon as they were gone, the other guests started to file out of the house with the same looks of confusion on their faces.

For the next few days, I stayed by my own and pondered the affect that Leah was going to have on Jacob now. It was obvious that he was glad that she was back, but a part of me feared the pain that one woman could inflict on him. I expected to find my father waiting to speak to me every single day, but he never did. I supposed that it was just his way of saying that he was done arguing with me.

A week or so after Genevieve and Leah's arrival, we all learned that the Volturi were coming to kill us all and that Leah had been gone all this time to train with Genevieve. Many of the wolves were angry and others were afraid. I felt sympathetic for Leah after seeing all the pain of being away from those she loved in her eyes. She had admitted that she was the best choice to fight the werewolf child because she had nothing to lose and it was that statement that made Jacob scream at her that she had no right to say what was not true. He told her that she had everything to lose in the battle. Unbeknownst to him, I caught the words he didn't out rightly say.

'_You have _me_ to lose.'_

He loved her no matter the pain she had caused him the last five years and it was obvious that she loved him back. I was standing in the way of both of them. It was heartbreaking to see him try for the past few weeks try to talk to her and equally heartbreaking to see the few tears roll down her cheek at having to give him up for me.

Some time after our training, I spied on my father and Jacob speaking in the middle of the forest. He probably wouldn't have noticed, but Jacob wandered the woods for a month after Leah left. At first I thought it was because he needed to clear his head but then I came up with the idea that it was the only place that he could feel close to her. The forest was a wolves' home and Leah had come to take that quite literally a few months before her disappearance.

"Get a grip, _mutt!_ She's not doing this just for you, so please stop with the self-pity party. She knew the risks before agreeing to fight this child and she still accepted. What she needs right now is for all of us to support her and help what could be the last six months of her life go by smoothly." I heard my father yell at Jacob.

"Shut—" Jacob glared at my father and was about to shout back before he was cut off.

"Jacob, don't make this time left harder for her than it already is." My father went to get up and turned to speak to Jacob.

He sighed. "Go talk to Genevieve."

Jacob scoffed and glared at my father's retreating form. "How about you take your own advice?" I heard him say. My father tensed up but decided not to utter a word back. Genevieve and Grandpa Carlisle were not on speaking terms with my father and at times it was almost impossible to be around the tension that was between them all.

"Renesmee…" I jumped at my father's voice. I didn't notice that he had double-backed and sneaked up on me.

"You should be more aware of your surroundings, sweetheart."

I smiled. "Yes, I know. Father, what's wrong with Jacob? And I don't want the 'nothings wrong with him' excuse. I want the truth, no matter what it is."

He furrowed his brows before nodding. "Yes, I suppose you deserve to know what's going through his mind, but it would be best if you were to ask him directly. Right now isn't a good time, but you'll be able to find him at the cliffs later on."

"How do you know that's where he'll be?" I asked.

He smiled sadly. "Because Genevieve was the one who asked me to tell him to see her. She said he'd go to the cliffs later, where she'll be waiting for him. Now, don't think I've forgiven her or Carlisle. I just can't stand hearing his thoughts anymore."

---

Hours later, I was about twenty feet off of the ground, trying to listen into Genevieve and Jacob's conversation. The roar of the crashing waves below made it difficult to hear what they were saying, but I couldn't risk getting any closer. I was already pushing my luck by being as close as I was and surely Genevieve already knew I was here. I thanked God that the wind had not changed directions and alerted Jacob to my presence.

I faintly heard Jacob speak. "…she barely wants to be around me? …what…to do with Nessie? …don't know what…I don't want to hurt Nessie, but I love Leah." I felt a little angered at him for not wanting to hurt me and yet he was the one who was being hurt by staying with me. I saw Genevieve glance at me without Jacob noticing and I heard her speak loudly enough for me to hear, signaling that it was time for me to show myself.

"Jacob, I believe that your _compagno di anima_ may have figured that out on her own." Jacob looked at her confusedly before a look of realization dawned on him. He whipped his head around and heard the rustle of the branches as I jumped down.

"Nessie…" He whispered.

"Well then, I shall take my leave. It seems this is a conversation that has long been needed between the two of you." Genevieve said. She got up and walked towards me, smiling softly as if reassuring me that everything would turn out fine.

"Oh, I almost forgot. Would you please give this to Leah for me? She will be needing it later on." She handed me a small bag of clothes. I looked at her strangely but she merely smiled and continued walking until she was out of view.

Once she was gone, I turned to Jacob and saw him looking at everything except for my eyes.

"How could you be so selfless Jacob?" I huffed. He stared at me in shock and before he could say a word, I continued. "If you love Leah, why aren't you with her? Why do you choose to continue on with this false relationship that we've gotten ourselves in?"

"Uh…" He uttered in confusion.

I sighed. "Jacob, I know that you love Leah. It's been obvious to me for _years_. You shouldn't think that you have some obligation to stay with me. Please understand, I do love you but not in the same way Sam loves Emily, or the way that Jared loves Kim." I had taken a seat next to Jacob and stared out at tonight's full moon.

A few minutes passed before Jacob spoke. "Ness, I never wanted to hurt you. I would never want to hurt you."

I smiled. "I know. But you don't have to worry about me. I, uh, have someone else to, er, take over that role."

"What?" He asked surprised.

"Well, you remember Nahuel, right? We've kept in touch with each other after all these years and I've grown rather fond of him. I've had feelings for him for a while, but I never pursued them because I was in this 'relationship' with you and I didn't want to hurt you." I said looking down at my hand and blushing furiously.

"Aw, Nessie, are you trying to tell me that you've been with me this whole time because you didn't want to hurt me? Well, that's ridiculous. I care about your happiness, Ness, and if being with Nahuel makes you happy, then so be it." He smiled brightly.

"R-really?" He nodded.

I threw my arms around him. "Oh Jacob! You're the absolute best! If you need any help with Leah, you can count me in! You have my complete and total cooperation, I promise."

He laughed. "Thanks, Ness. Actually…there is something that you can do for me."

I nodded happily. "Anything."

* * *

Leah's P.O.V

Even though the blood was rushing to my head, the fact that the world seemed so much clearer made the dizziness I'd feel later worth it. Up was down, and down was up. Nothing made sense, and yet, it made all the more sense. As strange as it was, I felt lighthearted and carefree. It reminded me of the days that me and Seth would play in the forest for hours and come back home slightly bruised and dirty.

It was an escape to a time when things were easier. A time when my life made sense. A time when I didn't know about werewolves, shape-shifters, and vampires. The supernatural world was but a fantasy world to me. In those days, my dad was alive and the only worry that I had was whether or not my doll was going to get her hair cut off by Seth and Jake. What I wouldn't give to go back to those times.

"You sure are a weird one, Clearwater." I opened my eyes to see Paul staring at me with a raised eyebrow.

I scoffed. "What? Haven't you seen anyone hanging upside down before? It's perfectly normal and healthy, dumbass."

He rolled his eyes and made his way up the tree. He sat down next to me and swung back so that he was upside like me. I looked at him strangely but he didn't notice since he had his eyes closed. Finally, he opened his eyes and looked at me.

"So…what exactly are you staring at wolf-girl? I can't really imagine there's anything interesting to see out here besides trees, unless you were hoping to see me walk by naked." He winked at me.

I laughed. "You're such a pervert! I've seen you naked before Paul, not much to look at." I looked over to see him glaring at me, making me laugh harder. He mumbled something about these last five years not changing my bitchiness. My laughter died down at the reminder and he took notice.

"You never answered my question, Lee. You okay?" He said softly.

I sighed. "Yeah, I…I'm not staring at anything in particular, I'm just trying to see the world from a different angle. Like, maybe if I looked at it differently, I'd realized that my life wasn't as horrible as I made it out to be. I was so angry, bitter, and resentful for so many years and it didn't get me anywhere. I didn't get my old life back, or my dad, or Sam. All it got me was some fur, two packs, brother's who hated me, and a death sentence."

It was quiet for a while and I was almost sure that Paul had left, but then I felt a soft thud on the ground. Suddenly, I was being pulled out of the tree and into Paul's strong arms. I tensed up and tried to pull away, but he held me even tighter. I let myself relax and wrapped my arms around his back.

"Lee…you don't have to do this. And you don't have to do this _alone_. You have _us_, all of us to help you. We're your family and we'll always be there for you, no matter what. And don't you ever think that we hated you, because we didn't. Sure, you were annoying as hell, but there was nothing you could do to make us _hate_ you." He said sadly.

"Paul, I—" I started to say before he cut me off.

"You're like a sister to me, Leah, and that means that I'll always be there to protect you with my life. When this werewolf girl comes, you better know that I'm going to be right there at your side, no matter how much you bitch and moan at me to leave. If I'm weak, then help me get stronger so that I can help protect you and everyone else, because come winter those leeches are coming to kill all those I love, and that includes you. And I'll be damned if I let that happen."

Paul's words hit me hard, breaking the fearless façade I created. I started to let all my fears and concerns come pouring out like a torrential storm. I sobbed into Paul's bare chest and he held me even tighter than before, as if telling me to trust him and let all my fears. I felt a few wet drops falling onto my neck and looked up to see his eyes shut tightly, the tears still cascading through.

"I-I'm s-so scared. W-what if I d-die before I can ki-kill her? What i-if I can't pr-protect everyone?" I sobbed. He wrapped one arm tightly around me and the other he used to stroke my hair softly.

He took a deep breath and exhaled slowly. "Lee, you've spent so many years pushing everyone away, that you got used to never relying on anyone for anything. But now you have to learn to rely on us again. We're family, Lee, in our own fucked up supernatural sense of the word and we're always going to be here for you."

I laughed softly. "I know." The tears had stopped falling and I felt a sense of peace. I was afraid of dying before I could kill Amaris and it limited me in training at times. Even now with Paul's comforting words, I was still afraid, but I had to get over it before the battle or I'd be giving Amaris the easiest fight of her life. Fear wasn't a luxury that I could afford anymore, but it wasn't something I could give up so easily, no matter how much I wanted to.

Paul and I stayed talking for a while longer, a few more tears were shed, apologies were distributed between each other, and a few more hugs were given. It amazed me how much he had changed in these last few years. He was still kind of annoying and cocky, but for the most part he was a lot more calm and levelheaded than he used to be. I remembered days where anyone commented on his lack of clothes and he'd start shaking out of anger. It was different to see him so much more calm, but it was a welcome change.

"I think I'm going to head back. It's getting late and I'm _starving_!" Paul exclaimed. "If you ever need to talk, you know where to find me.

"Under my feet with your face in the ground?" I joked.

He rolled his eyes. "Ha ha, very funny. I'm being serious here, Lee."

"I know, I'm just playing around. Thank you, Paul, and I mean that." He gave me one last hug and phased, running back to La Push.

As soon as Paul left, I climbed back up the tree and proceeded to hang upside again. The sun had set, the shadows created by the moon danced along the ground, and the wolves came out to play. I was tempted to howl at the rising moon that at this angle, looked like it was trying to run away from the horizon, but thought better of it since I didn't really want to deal with my pack thinking that something happened to me. They worried too much about me, but I couldn't complain. It was just their way of saying that they cared.

_SNAP!_

I jumped off the branch I was on and phased at the sound of a branch snapping in the distance. The wind was downwind from my position so I couldn't pinpoint whether it was an animal or something else. I crouched my body close to the ground and took off, making sure not to make a sound. I had to try and get behind whatever it was that was out here with me. I bobbed and weaved through the dark dense forest, phasing every once in a while to get through some areas my wolf form would surely make a sound in.

Finally, I saw a figure lurking in the shadows and I growled loudly to signal my position compared to whoever it was. When the figure spun around, I noticed the familiar bronze curls that surrounded Renesmee Cullen's face. Her frightened face relaxed when she realized who I was and she smiled a sheepish grin.

"Leah, if you have the time, I'd like to talk to you."

I nodded, but then realized that I didn't have any extra clothes with me. She must have realized my dilemma because she pulled a bag from behind her and put it on the ground. I looked at her strangely but I was grateful all the same. I took the bag and ran behind a tree to phase and change.

"Thanks for the clothes, Renesmee. You're not suddenly psychic are you?"

She laughed lightly and shook her head. "No, fortunately. I saw Genevieve earlier and she all but shoved this into my face to give to you."

I sighed. "Of course. So, um, is there something you wanted to, er, talk to me about?" She wouldn't just be stalking around the forest at night for nothing. At least, that's what I thought. The Cullen's could be pretty odd at times, speaking in cryptic ways, staring at you and then acting as if nothing, laughing at some oblivious to everyone else. It used to get on my nerves a lot, but after living with Genevieve and my masters even I started to be the same way at times.

"Well, yes. I don't want to waste your time, so I'll just cut to the chase if that seems fine with you." I nodded at her to continue. "I cannot take how miserable Jacob looks every single day. He's been like this ever since you came back. And I know that reason is none other than his unrequited love for you."

I stared wide-eyed at her. I was definitely not expecting this conversation from her. Well, maybe a small part of me knew that eventually we'd have this conversation, but I didn't think it would be so soon. I was expecting her to be angry at me or scream at me to leave right after the battle and never come back. However, she looked calmer than I probably did. Was this a trick?

"Judging from your face, you're quite confused at what I'm saying. Please, allow me to clarify everything first. These past months, I've seen the pain on both of your faces get worse and I cannot stand to see it any longer. Jacob loves you Leah, even after all the pain that you've caused him he still loves you." Her porcelain face had a heartbreaking look to it that impeded me from making a sound. She was probably disappointed that Jacob couldn't give his entire heart to her if he foolishly thought he was in love with me. I could relate.

"Leah, while you were gone he was in so much pain that I would do anything to see him happy again. I know you think that the imprint between us should be the same as Sam and Emily, or Jared and Kim, but it's not. I love him like a brother, like a best friend, but not as a lover or mate. He loves _you_ and you love _him_. It's as simple as that." I was shocked. Was she really trying to tell me what I think she was telling me? Did she really want me to be with Jacob?

"B-but you're getting married soon. H-how…I can't…Are you…" I stuttered.

She laughed. "Yes, I'm telling you to be with Jacob. It's fine, trust me. And if it wasn't obvious, the wedding is off. So what is your answer, Leah? Will you take Jacob off my hands for me?" She smiled brightly.

"Yeah, will you?" A deep, husky voice breathed into my ear behind me. I spun around and found myself trapped in the arms of Jacob Black, eyes full of love and adoration for me. I felt my heart racing as I stared into his dark brown eyes that finally looked alive. Renesmee had given up Jacob so that I could have him, assuring me that it was fine, and here was the man of the hour himself, looking at me as if I was the most important thing in the world to him.

"I…I suppose I could, if you really don't want him." I smiled brightly. I faintly heard giggling and a loud 'Yes, you owe $150!' coming from the bushes adjacent to where we were.

I sighed. "Come on out, you nosy leeches."

"Hey, don't put me in the leech category!" Seth whined.

Emmett, Edward, Jasper, Seth, and Genevieve came out from their hiding places with impish grins plastered on each of their faces. Emmett came up to me and grabbed me out of Jacob's arms and into his own.

"Aww, I can't wait for you guys to have a couple of pups running around the yard! I call dibs on your first one!" He declared. I almost choked, while everyone else started laughing loudly.

"Were you guys in on this the whole time?" I asked, dreading the answer.

Jasper was the first one to speak. "Well, not exactly. We've all been trying for a while to get you to admit that you love our dear Jacob, but no matter how much I manipulated your emotions, or Edward tried to read your thoughts, or Emmett, Genevieve and Seth kept trying to give you time with Jacob alone, you were too darn stubborn."

I should have known that they were up to something the moment Rose started saying nice things about Jacob. They were like cats and dogs, but three times worse. Even Seth had started to say nice things about Jacob, even if he was slowly starting to like him again. Damn leeches and wolf brother.

Genevieve giggled. "Try not to be too mad at us, Leah. It was mostly my idea to have everyone help. If it helps, Renesmee did not know a thing about this until Jacob explained everything to her earlier today. You are much too stubborn for your own good, so I had everyone help me try to _push_ you in the right direction."

"Of course." I muttered. I turned back to look at Jacob, who was still staring at me adoringly. I shook my head at him and rolled my eyes. Only _he_ would enlist the help of the leeches to persuade my mind. He came up to me and drew me back into his arms.

"I love you, Lee." He whispered softly. Slowly, he leaned down until his lips were an inch apart from mine. His warm breath filled my lungs, putting me into a slight daze. I felt my heart pounding loudly in my ears as I close the short gap between us and touch my lips with his. This kiss was much different our first one, which was full of passion and fire. No, this kiss was soft and full of love. It was his way of showing that he wasn't going to be with me to play games, he really loved me and would do anything to keep me in his arms forever.

I pulled away and looked into his eyes. "I love you too, Jake. More than you'll ever know."

* * *

**Honestly, am I the only one who used to hand upside-down and look at everything differently? Hope not. :D So, Paul's a little OOC but I think after the years he'd get a little bit better. Renesmee's P.O.V was one of my favorite to write actually. **

"Non è il vostro posto per mostrarle quello." Genevieve scolded me in Italian.

"Lei dovrebbe sapare tutto il dolore che ha causato."

**Translation: "It is not your place to show her such things." Genvieve scolded me in Italian. **

**"She should know all the pain she's caused." **

**Oh, next chapter will probably start out with Emmett's P.O.V just so you guys can see what the bet involved and a few other tidbits I want to make sure are addressed from this chapter. _And_ we get a couple of old and new characters appearing from the abyss of Alice's closet (which I'm convinced might be a portal to the Underworld or another dimension O.o). **

**P.S.S.S.S.S.S: No, Edward is still not talking to Genevieve or Carlisle at the end of this chapter, he's just fulfilling a promise he made to help with Leah/Jake. **

**Oh oh oh, and uber love to Kei Kat Jones and ItsCuzOfTheFame for your constant reviews!You guys make my heart soar with joy (please excuse the cornyness of that :p). AND MUCH LOVE TO ALL MY OTHER REVIEWERS TOO!! I LOVE YOU GUYS ALL! ♥ x 10000000000**


	16. It Won't Last Too Long

**Disclaimer: ****I do not own Twilight or any of its characters. **

**A.N: So, I officially hate Anatomy and Physiology. Like really, really anyways, hate it. Which totally sucks because I kind of need it for my major. 'Tis the reason for the late update. Eh, hope you like it. This was the only thing that was keeping me sane. =p  
**

* * *

**It Won't Last Too Long**

Emmett's P.O.V

"Jazzy, don't forget to put on a big smile on your face when you're coming down that catwalk! Oh, and don't be afraid to shimmy at the end, I promise I won't think any less of you than I already do." I yelled at him from downstairs.

We were all gathered in the living room, waiting for Jasper to make good on the rest of a bet we made the moment Leah told us the Volturi were coming. We knew from way before then that Leah and Jake had a _thing_ going on, even if they didn't want to admit it, so we decided to make a bet on when they'd finally get together. Jasper went all 'tragic-romance' on me and said that Leah wouldn't accept Jake until he almost died or something. I probably would have said that same thing if it wasn't for my all-time favorite ex-Volturi member, Genevieve. She was going to try to help the wolf pair get together, and being Genevieve, it wasn't going to take much longer.

True to form, Leah and Jake got together a few works after the bet was finalized. It was really good timing too, since I had another week and a half for them to get it together and realize their love for each other. I was almost starting to get nervous for a second there. But, I won the $150 and my camera was rolling for the next part.

"Emmett, I do not understand why you insist on _videotaping_ this social debacle. What do you have to gain from this?" Genevieve asked from her seat on Seth's lap. I thought about it for a minute. Maybe this wasn't the nicest thing to do to my _Call of Duty_ partner. Maybe I shouldn't tape this for everyone I know to see for the rest of eternity. Maybe I should consider his feelings and the bond that we have.

Yeah, right!

I snorted. "Revenge, plain and simple."

"You're just bitter that Jasper manipulated your emotions and made you lose _fifty-seven_ times in a row." Seth laughed. I glared at him, only to have him glaring back. We stayed like that for another two minutes before Rose came into the room and smacked the back of my head.

"Hey, what was that for?" I pouted. She rolled her eyes and sat next to Leah, who was still kind of mad at me but came to enjoy the show anyway. She needed some fun too, especially after Bella's reaction to the news. Suffice to say, she wasn't happy at all.

"_What the _fuck_ do you think you're doing with your arms around my daughters _fiancé_?" Bella growled at Leah, crouching low. We had just gotten back to the house when Bella caught sight of Leah and Jake walking hand in hand. She almost ripped the door off its hinges when she came outside. _

"_Bella, love—" _

"_Why aren't you doing something about this Edward?! Why aren't _any_ of you doing something?! Don't you realize the amount of pain Renesmee is going to be in when she sees those two?!" She snarled fiercely. She looked so wild and feral, reminding me of Victoria. _

"_Mother, please calm down. Jacob and I have decided to cancel our engagement, so he's free to be with whomever he likes." Ness said, coming out from the trees. Bella snapped out of her harsh demeanor when Renesmee came into view and confusion swept across her face. _

"_But, why…I don't understand, how—" She started, but was cut off by Ness. _

"_Jacob and I will always love each other as friends, but nothing more than that Mother. We're much better off as friends than lovers anyway. I hope you'll understand." Ness pleaded. Everyone turned to look at Bella who was still in slight shock. _

_After a few moments, she forced out a small smile and nodded. Everyone seemed to let out a sigh of relief, except for Genevieve who was looking at Bella through narrowed eyes. Bella caught her eye and the two stared at each other for what seemed like hours, which in reality was only a few seconds. I didn't know if anyone else saw the exchange, but when it was finally over I felt like there was something going on that neither of the two wanted to say out loud. _

_Edward decided to take Bella to their cottage and we waved at their retreating forms. When I turned around, I saw Genevieve give me a look, basically asking me not to reveal what I had seen occur between them. I nodded and she returned the gesture with a small smile. _

I was absolutely positive that there was something big going on with Bella and Genevieve, however, that one glance at Genevieve told me that I should just let it go. I was bummed I couldn't dig in, but at least I could console myself with my…_prize._

"Ladies and gentleman, if I may have your attention please!" Alice announced from the stairs. "Introducing the breathtaking, sensual, mind-blowing…JASMINE!" And with that, down came Major Jasper Whitlock dressed in one of Rose's long, flowing, blood-red evening gowns with matching stiletto heels. He wore a short, blonde wig and bright red lipstick to match his dress.

My laughter resonated throughout the entire room as everyone started to join me. Leah and Seth laughed so hard that they were crying. Alice and Rose were doubled-over in laughter, while Esme and Carlisle tried their hardest not to laugh but were failing miserably. Genevieve's mouth was hanging open and Ness' eyes were wide and the corner's of her mouth were twitching.

Jasper looked aggravated but he walked down the fabricated catwalk nonetheless. Maybe this would teach him never to mess with me when I'm playing _Call of Duty_. When he reached the end of the catwalk, he did a little twirl and shot me a scathing glare. I stopped laughing long enough to wink at him and blow him a kiss.

"Wa-wait, the f-fasion show isn't do-done yet-t." Alice stuttered through her laughter. I raised an eyebrow and she pointed a finger at Leah, who had a mischievous glint in her eye. Oh, this was going to be awesome!

Leah cleared her voice. "Ahem, introducing the oh so very sexy, Alpha _female_ of the pack…JACKIE!" We all looked to the top of the stairs to see none other than Jacob Black, wearing a tight maroon dress with a pair of black 'fuck me' pumps, makeup done up the same way as Jasper, and a long ebony wig. Unlike Jasper, he came down the stairs and really strut his stuff. He twirled around the makeshift catwalk and threw kisses to us all.

If I thought I couldn't laugh any harder, I was dead wrong. Alice, Seth, and me ended up on the floor cracking up. Esme and Ness wore identical looks of shock, amusement, and disturbance. Carlisle and Rose hid their faces in their hands, but I could still hear them snickering. When Jake got back to the bottom of the stairs, he grabbed Leah up in his arms and kissed her, smearing his makeup all over her face. However, being Leah, she didn't take that very well.

One second Jake was strutting down the catwalk, and the next he was nursing a broken clavicle back to health. Leah was glaring daggers at Jake, while Seth couldn't keep his laughter from slipping out.

"Poor Jakey-poo! Probably shouldn't have done that dude." I laughed.

He growled. "You think?"

"Hey, I've been meaning to ask you. Why did you get dressed up in the first place?"

He sighed. "Leah said that it was punishment for getting everyone in on the whole plan of getting us together. I tried telling her that Genevieve was the one who offered and I accepted but that just made it worse. So, instead of getting all mad like Jazz, I just went with it, you know?"

I nodded. "Yeah, everyone was pretty pumped when you came out. You definitely stole the show, _Jackie!_"

Jake growled and was about to lunge at me when Leah came back into the room and shot him a warning look. He looked down sheepishly and muttered something about why she was being a bitch to him when it was me who started it. Ah, how I loved getting away with things.

"If you _children_ are done, everyone's waiting downstairs." Leah said. She came over to the bed Jake was sitting on and gave him a small peck on the cheek and walked downstairs. I looked back over to Jake and saw him blushing slightly. I grinned and walked out after wolf girl.

"So, what's on the agenda for tonight ladies and ghouls?" I asked.

"Let's go dancing!" Rose suggested.

"Video games!" Seth shouted.

Alice's eyes lit up while she screamed. "SHOPPING!"

"Carlisle and I are going hunting later, so please don't destroy my house." Esme pleaded.

"How about—" Jasper began, but was interrupted by a loud knock on the door. We never got any company around here, and all the wolves didn't even bother to knock anymore. Alice was the closest to the door so she opened it, immediately tensing up at whoever was there. The air around us became tense as we were all assaulted with a scent that was much more pungent than the wolves, but vaguely similar.

_Werewolf. _

Instantly, the atmosphere cleared up and I saw Genevieve standing in front of the door with her back to whoever was at it. Alice's body became rigid as she turned around and walked to Jasper's side.

"Jasper, if you would please calm everyone down." Genevieve said through gritted teeth. Jasper looked hesitant, but complied.

"You know Genevieve, I'm not so sure how much I like your friends. They seem rather…_dangerous_." A gruff voice said from the doorway. Before any of us could ask Genevieve who was at the door, Leah ran to the door.

"Horus!" She screamed, flying into the mysterious person's arms. Jake came running down the stairs at the sound of Leah's screaming at the same time that Carlisle came into the room.

"Well, hello there Shakes. Missed me much?" The voice asked. Leah pulled him into the room and I saw that he looked to be about Jake's height and build. From the way that Leah reacted to this guy, Horus, he must've been okay, even if he was a werewolf.

Leah smiled widely. "Guy, this is Horus. He was one of my masters while we were in Mongolia."

Seth was the first to introduce himself. "Hey Horus, I'm Seth, Leah's younger brother."

"Oh hello there, you don't seem like the annoying little twit that Leah made you out to be." Horus said, shaking Seth's hand. Seth's jaw dropped, but he quickly composed himself to glare at Leah who was looking anywhere but his eyes.

"What the _hell_ Oro?! You freaking left me all the way down the road!" A young girl, probably around eighteen, was staring daggers at Horus. He pretended not to hear her and looked around the room, taking in the décor. The girl had waist-length blonde hair, bright emerald eyes, and had fair skin. She was around Alice's height, looking like a little doll. And from the sound of her beating heart, she was human.

"Nicolette?" The girl looked at Genevieve and her eyes lit up.

"Mother! Oh, I've missed you so much! Can you believe that Oro left me down the road all by myself? I mean, I'm quite capable of taking care of myself, but really. The nerve of him leaving a young woman in the woods, all by herself." With every single one of Nicolette's words, Genevieve looked like she was about to tear into Horus, who was slowly heading towards the door. Whoa, wait just a second. Did she just call Genevieve _mother?!_

Leah turned to look at Horus with anger flooding her eyes. "You. Left. Her. All. _Alone_?!" She punctuated each word, letting her anger boil over.

"Now ladies, it wasn't like anything would have happened to her. Stop overreacting." Wrong thing to say dude. Genevieve threw him through the window and Leah phased, snapping her jaws at his head. Horus was fast though, and ended up in a nearby tree with both Genevieve and Leah going up after him.

"No! Mother, Leah, please! Don't hurt Oro! I think we may need him alive!" Both girls looked down at Nicolette and nodded. Jake, being the protective boyfriend that he was, growled at all the guys to turn around at the sight of his naked girlfriend coming down the tree. He threw Leah the shirt he was wearing, which she took gratefully.

As soon as everyone calmed down, we headed inside to talk calmly. However, we had to make sure to keep Horus far away from Genevieve and Leah. Once everyone was settled, the questions started up like a storm. They just kept coming and didn't appear to stop any time soon. It was almost enough to give me a headache.

Everyone quieted down the moment that Seth asked why Nicolette was calling Genevieve mother and if Horus was her father. The poor kid looked so heartbroken and miserable until Leah burst with laughter. She explained that Nicolette was completely human, while Genevieve was a vampire and Horus was a werewolf. Seth looked down, embarrassed at forgetting that Genevieve couldn't have kids.

Nicolette spoke up then. "Maybe I should explain. My mother, er, Genevieve, saved me from a group of vampires in Russia when I was just a baby. She fell in love with me from the very beginning and took care of me until I turned 19. Oro came and traveled with us as I got older so that no one would ask too many questions about why a sixteen year-old girl who never aged was traveling around with a child. Genevieve took care of and I'll always think of her as my mother, even if we're not related by blood." The women in the room looked at Nicolette tenderly, as if feeling that this girl could full in the vacant spot in their hearts of not being able to have a child of their own. It was heartwarming, even to a manly vampire like myself.

Nicolette smiled at me and giggled. "Manly vampire? That's an interesting thought, Emmett."

I stared at her blankly until the realization dawned on me. "Aw, man! _Another_ mind-reader?! Did Genevieve take you under her wing and make you into some type of super psychic or something?"

She laughed. "Yes, something like that. And Oro trained me to be one hell of a martial artist as well, so be careful."

I sighed. _Fan-fucking-tastic. _

* * *

Leah's P.O.V

Horus and Nicolette were here, which made me happy to no end, but they wouldn't just show up for no reason. No, there was definitely something more to their visit than what they were telling. I let it got for now, but I would ask them about it later.

"Oi, Shakes, where's the wolf boy you used to talk in your sleep about?" At that moment, I wished Nicolette would've let me and Genevieve finish him off. I felt my face heat up and hoped to God that no one noticed. I looked up when I heard a crash coming from Horus' direction.

"Hey, what was that for Nitro?" Horus growled. There were pieces of glass on the floor next to him, that could've only come from the glass figurines on the far side of the room. Genevieve probably should have taught her to respect other people's property, instead of teaching her how to levitate them.

Nicolette rolled her eyes. "I thought it was obvious. Leah's wolf boy is the one who wants to rip your head off if you try to put your hands on her."

"What? You mean him?" He pointed a finger at Jacob. "I don't know Nitro, doesn't look like he's tough enough for Shakes. A bit on the lanky side, don't you believe?"

She shook her head. "No, I think he's quite perfect for her. He's tall and handsome, unlike you. Don't be jealous just because she chose someone who is much more debonair than you."

He snorted. "Oh please! I'm ten times more dapper and debonair than anyone in this room! How about you go back to Japan and be amongst your people, midget-san?"

Genevieve sighed. "Enough! I swear, sometimes I think you are both nothing more than five year-olds. I want no more bickering from the two of you, is that clear?" Horus and Nicolette nodded.

"Good, now, let us get down to business, shall we? I feel it best if you both stayed here, in the Cullen's home, for the duration of your stay. I want you both on your best behavior and I mean it Horus." He looked mock hurt at Genevieve's singling him out but agreed.

Carlisle spoke up next. "Now, it's great seeing both of you again, but I must ask, why have you both come so unannounced?" Horus and Nicolette glanced at each other worriedly, hesitant in answering Carlisle. Each one would open their mouths to say something, but would quickly close them back up again. I looked over at Genevieve who had her fists clenched up tightly. Her eyes were full of anger, making me worry that she might lose control. She instantly relaxed, probably hearing my concerned thoughts.

"The Volturi showed up one day at my home with that girl, Amaris. They said that I was a hazard to their world and that my death was not up for debate. I was able to hold them off for a little while with my telekinesis, but that didn't last too long. Aro was pondering turning me into a vampire after seeing what I could do, but before he had a chance to make a decision Oro came crashing through the door and was able to rescue me.

"That was probably a few weeks ago. We ran throughout different parts of Japan, trying to mislead and confuse their trackers, and then we hopped on a plane to China. We kept on trying to get them off our tails, and we almost got caught somewhere in Turkey. Oro almost died that day and the only thing that saved him was the fact that their was a full moon. Amaris was a challenge, even for someone like Oro and the only way we escaped was when Oro jumped into a deep chasm. We backtracked soon after and went through Alaska to get here." Nicolette finished sadly.

Horus' head was hung down, almost as if in shame, while Nicolette rubbed his back soothingly. He looked like he was shivering a little every time that Nicolette touched the middle of his back, which I thought was pretty strange. I got up and walked over to Horus. He flinched slightly when I lifted up the back of his shirt and saw a number of deep claw marks run from neck to his lower back. I put my hand over my mouth in shock and a few tears escaped. That _beast_ was so close to killing him and Nicolette, and I wasn't there to help them.

Horus got up and wrapped his arms around me. He tried to calm me down and kept repeating that there was nothing I could do about it. He told me he was careless and he should have taken the girl more seriously, but nothing he was telling me eased the guilt that I felt. After a few minutes, I finally calmed down and went to go sit down next to Jake, who pulled me into his lap and let me rest my head in the crook of his neck.

"It's just a little flesh wound, Shakes, nothing I can't handle." Horus tried to sound casual, but I caught the pain and fear in his voice.

"Please don't cry Leah, it wasn't anyone's fault. We're here and we're alive. Isn't that what matters most?" Nicolette said. I nodded weakly and sniffled a few more times before the tears finally stopped. Jake kissed my cheek tenderly and wiped my eyes with thumbs.

"Don't blame yourself, Lee. They're here and safe. We won't let anything happen to them." Jake said. He cupped my face, making me stare into his eyes. The love in them made feel much better, and I wiped away any remaining tears from my face before kissing him on his lips.

Nicolette giggled. "Aww, how cute! Why can't you be more like that, Oro?"

Horus snorted. "What for? It's not like I've met anyone of Shakes' caliber to even consider turning into a hopeless romantic for."

_Crash!_

"OWW! Would you stop throwing things at me?!" He yelled. And with that, the atmosphere in the room seemed to lighten up. Genevieve still looked pretty tense, but who wouldn't be if their daughter and best friend came close to dying. Seth was trying to calm her down and slowly her body lost the tense posture she was in.

"Carlisle, where's Edward? I've been looking forward to seeing him ever since my last visit." Nicolette asked nicely.

Emmett answered her before Carlisle had the chance to. "Prudeward's in his cottage home with his ladylove doing God knows what. Besides, I'm ten times the fun he is. How about we go outside and have a little sparring match?"

Nicolette's eyes twinkled at the challenge. "Yes, lets. I'm sure I'll be able to teach you a thing or two when it comes to fighting."

Emmett laughed. "Awesome! Let's go." He quickly grabbed Nicolette and took her outside. Jasper and Renesmee went outside to join them and make sure that Emmett didn't end up hurting himself. Seth and Genevieve decided to do the same, while Horus almost tripped over the furniture to make sure that Emmett didn't do anything to hurt Nicolette. Alice and Rosalie decided to go with Carlisle and Esme on a quick hunting trip and promised to call me later, leaving me and Jacob alone. We decided to leave and walked through the forest instead of phasing.

"Are you okay, Lee?" Jake asked.

I sighed tiredly. "No…not really. Part of me feels like going to Italy right now and killing that stupid little bitch, but then part of me feels like none of this is really her fault and I should find some way to help her. I don't know, I'm just so confused."

The tears were welling up again and before they came tumbling down, Jake pulled me into his chest and ran his fingers through my hair. We stayed like that in the middle of the forest for a couple of minutes before finally heading to Jacob's house. When we got there, nobody else was home so we ended up putting on a movie, but I was much too preoccupied with my thoughts to really pay attention. He must've noticed because he pulled me into his lap and started playing with my hair. Forgetting about the movie, he started asking me about Horus and Nicolette.

"Well, Horus can be pretty cocky when he wants to be, but he's one hell of a fighter. I don't think anyone can fight as well as he can, except for Genevieve. He's pretty protective of Nicolette, even if he never shows it. He'd die for her. Nicolette…well, she's an _incredible_ psychic. Genevieve pretty much made sure that she was the best. And don't think just because she's tiny that she can't put up a fight. Horus taught her how to take down guy three times her size without breaking a sweat. For a human, she's pretty damn dangerous. She's stubborn just like Horus, but she knows when to call it quits."

Jacob smiled. "Sounds like they'll get along with everyone just fine. What's up with the names that Horus was calling you and Nicolette?"

I laughed. "He calls me 'Shakes' because of how my body shook the first time he saw me phase and every time I got angry. He calls Nicolette 'Nitro,' short for nitroglycerin, because he says that she's a horribly destructive force for such a small package."

He chuckled. "What's Genevieve's nickname?"

"Athena," Genevieve's voice came from behind us, making us jump in the air. "Goddess of wisdom, peace, warfare, strategy, handicrafts and reason, shrewd companion of heroes and the goddess of heroic endeavor. An unmerited comparison, in my opinion."

Jacob frowned. "I think that pretty much fits the bill, Genevieve." She waved her hand in the air dismissively and changed the subject.

"Hmm, silly names coming from silly five hundred year-old wolves. Now, firstly, I want to apologize for frightening both of you, and secondly, I have come to inform you that the Alice has planned a small get-together for later this evening in their backyard. Alice has made it mandatory that both packs be there."

We both groaned. "Do we have to?"

She laughed softly. "I suppose not, however, I am not the one who is going to tell Alice. Oh, and did I forget to mention that she has already come up with punishments for those who decide not to attend?" I shuddered. Alice was just a little midget, and with the training I've gone through I could totally take her down, but Alice was an evil mastermind.

"Uh…I think we'll be able to make it." Jacob said slowly.

"Very well then. I shall see you both later this evening. Oh, and Emmett wanted me to deliver a message. He said, and I quote 'Since you guy are mating, I want at least three male puppies with Leah's fur color, and one of them has to be named Emmett Jr.' Horus sends a similar message except he says wants a big litter that he can train." Genevieve turned and ran, giggling at our hanging mouths.

It was official, Emmett and Horus were out to get me.

Jacob kissed my head. "They're just jealous they can't have someone as beautiful as you, Lee."

* * *

Jacob's P.O.V

There were about six weeks left before the Volturi got here, according to both Alice and Genevieve, and our training had gotten more intense. Leah suggested that we start using the environment around us and had us training in the same area that we found her and Genevieve in a few months ago.

"Fuck!" Paul yelled as he fell to the forest floor. He was sparring with Nicolette, much to Horus' protests. She was definitely a lot stronger and powerful than I would've thought a human could ever be, and she proved it when she kept dodging all of Paul's attacks and used her telekinesis to break off the branches of the tree he was crouching on.

Nicolette sighed. "Paul, your fighting is almost up to par with Oro and that makes you one of the best, but you're not taking into account the abilities of your opponent. If you know I'm using my visions to figure out your moves, then change your mind at the last second! It's the only way you're ever going to beat me."

I walked over to Leah, leaving Paul to go another round with Nicolette while Emmett took bets on the outcome. She was sitting with Edward watching Nessie go one-on-one with Jasper. Ever since Bella found out about me and Nessie not getting married, she refused to go to anymore training sessions and insisted that she would be fine if anything did happen. Edward had finally forgiven Carlisle and Genevieve, but not before he had them both swear on their children's lives that they would never occult something so important ever again.

"Focus Ness! Try to anticipate Jasper's moves!" Leah yelled. Since Bella decided not to come to training anymore, Nessie's progress started going down hill. Bella all but refused to talk to her anymore and that pain was starting to weigh down on poor Nessie. When Nicolette and Horus decided to join in on the training, Nicolette did what she could to help Nessie with the pain that she was going through. She told me that she had arranged a surprise to cheer up Nessie, but she refused to tell me what. She was as annoyingly cryptic as Genevieve was. _Like mother, like daughter._

I sat down next to Edward, pulling Leah onto my lap. She leaned back and molded her body to mine. Even with all the worries about possibly dying in a few weeks, I couldn't help but feel happy whenever I was around Leah. My imprint may have been Nessie, but Leah and I were made to be. Everyone was pretty much fine with us, except for Sam, who threw a fit and attacked me when he found out. It wasn't that he was jealous or anything, but he cared about her and didn't want to see her get hurt again. I tried to tell him that I wasn't going to do that to her, but he wouldn't listen. In fact, it took Nicolette almost getting hurt to finally stop him. Genevieve and Horus wanted to rip into Sam for that, but Nicolette insisted that nothing would have happened either way and she forgave Sam.

All those thoughts were erased when Leah reached up and pulled my face down for a searing kiss. I smiled into the kiss, wrapping my arms tighter around her waist. I licked her lips asking for entrance, which she so graciously gave me. I slipped my tongue in, battling for dominance with hers. I felt my pulse pounding in my ears from the kiss and we didn't stop until we heard Edward clear his throat loudly. Leah pulled away blushing slightly, while I turned to glare at Edward. He rolled his eyes and pointed out that we were drawing in a crowd of on looking wolves and vampires. I smiled sheepishly and looked back to Nessie's fight, hoping the others would just let this go quickly.

Edward sighed. "She's not getting any better. It's starting to worry me somewhat."

I nodded. "Yeah, but Nicolette says she has something for Nessie that's going to help her."

"Oh boy." Leah muttered.

"What?"

She sighed. "Well, let's just say the last time Nicolette tried to help someone Horus almost got sent off to a lab to be dissected. Don't ask, it's a long ass story."

"Nahuel? Nahuel!!" We turned to see Nessie run into the arms of who was indeed Nahuel. He twirled her around in his arms and she squealed with delight. Nicolette landed next to Edward and smirked at Leah.

"Guess I _can_ help people without getting them dissected huh?" She giggled.

Leah rolled her eyes. "Yeah, yeah, whatever. Hey, does anyone know what time it is?"

"'Tis eleven in the morn, fair lady." Horus said, bowing deeply. We stared at him strangely until Genevieve explained that Horus lived in the 1500s and those old habits die hard. He was still a weirdo no matter the excuse.

"Is there somewhere you need to be, Leah?" Edward asked.

She nodded. "Mom wanted to go out for lunch and then spend some time shopping with me. Bonding time, I guess."

"Have fun with Sue, Lee." I leaned down to kiss her and pulled away quickly. She huffed and pulled me back, wrapping her arms around my neck so I couldn't pull away. I smiled into the kiss and wrapped my arms around her waist. When she finally pulled away, she gave me a quick kiss and ran off in the direction of her house. I turned back around to see Seth and Quil were making gagging noises while Nicolette was telling Horus off for not being as romantic as I was with Leah. I still didn't exactly know if they were together or not, but like everyone else I didn't bother in asking.

I looked towards Nessie and smiled at how happy she finally seemed to be. Unfortunately, from the seething look on Edward's face, it didn't seem like he was happy at all. He looked over and gave me a look that said 'you think?'

I laughed. "Aw, come on Eddie, look how happy she is. Shouldn't that be the most important thing?" He glared at me and walked over to Genevieve. She looked at him sympathetically, grabbed hold of his hand, and took him over to where Nahuel and Nessie were tightly embraced. Edward looked like he wanted to kill Nahuel, but Genevieve made sure he didn't have that opportunity.

"You know," Nicolette said in an amused voice, "Edward would have actually preferred you to Nahuel at the moment."

"Why?"

She laughed. "Because you never thought about ravishing her like an animal the moment you saw her." I blushed profusely, which in turn made Nicolette laugh harder. I really didn't need to know these things. I may not have loved Nessie in a romantic sense, but I loved her the way I would my sisters and that meant I didn't need to know her creepy hybrid boyfriend's horny thoughts about her.

Suddenly, I felt someone come up from behind me and grab me in a headlock. I tried to get out of it, but whoever was holding me had too good of a grip. After a few minutes, they let go and I looked to see Sam smirking at me. I glared at him but her just ignored it.

"How about we spar for a little while? I can't find Horus anywhere, so the next best person is you. What do you say?"

What Sam didn't know was that Horus had been finding any and all excuses to stay away from him. At first, Horus was pissed at Sam for almost hurting Nicolette, so he didn't have any problems sparring with Sam and getting really into it. However, after a while Horus forgave Sam, but I guess Sam had gotten so used to fighting with Horus that he'd sneak up on him at the most random times. It had gotten so bad, that Horus actually agreed _voluntarily _to go shopping with Pixie.

I shrugged. "Sure, why not?"

And with those words, I sealed my fate for the next seven hours. When we finally got back to the Cullen's home, I was sore as hell. All I wanted to do was collapse on the floor for a couple of days, but Rosalie started yelling at me saying that I was getting blood all over the floor. Emmett ended up dragging me up the stairs and into the bathroom. He threw me a pair of jeans and a shirt, which Pixie thought were decent enough for me to wear.

I got dressed and went downstairs to get something to eat. I was starving. While I was rummaging through the fridge, the phone rang and Pixie said it was for me.

"Hello?" I asked.

"Jacob! I've been trying to get in touch with you for _hours_." Sue said frantically.

My heart started racing. "What's wrong Sue? Is it Leah? Did something happen to her?"

"That's just it. I haven't seen her since she left this morning. Do you know where she is?" She asked.

"N-no. She was with us this morning for some training but then she said she had to go because she was going to spend the day with you. We haven't seen her since. I thought she was with you?" I asked getting more worried by the second.

"No, she never—" She started to say, but I didn't hear her over the loud shriek coming from the living room. I rushed in there to see Genevieve and Horus clutching Nicolette tightly. She was thrashing against them, but eventually she gave up and slumped to the ground.

"Leah…" She whispered sadly.

"What happened?" I growled out. Genevieve gave me a hard look, telling me to calm down and not growl at her daughter. I took a few breaths and when I was finally calm enough I asked her the same question.

"She had a vision that someone kidnapped Leah. They drugged her with enough tranquilizer to keep her quiet for a number of hours. And…Nicolette sees the Volturi in her vision." Genevieve finished sadly. I phased right then and there but was stopped from going anywhere by Emmett and Jasper.

"Don't be stupid. You can't just go out there looking for her blindly. You need help and Carlisle, Genevieve, Horus, and Jasper are the best trackers. Calm down for one fucking second and think this clearly." Emmett growled.

No matter how much I wanted to force him off of me and run out to find Leah, I knew that he was right. The Volturi had Leah and I couldn't just go up against them alone. If I did, Leah might not make it out alive.

Edward ran into the room moments later. His face looked more pale, if that were possible. I hadn't seem him like this since Bella was pregnant with Nessie. He grabbed Genevieve and dragged her outside. I saw a look of horror cross her features. Edward handed her a paper and she read it thoroughly. When she lifted her eyes, I saw the crimson red burning brightly.

"I hope you realize I will never forgive her for this." Genevieve whispered darkly.

"Yes, I know." Edward said sadly.

I phased, wanting to know what the fuck was going on. "What do guys know that you're not telling me?" I growled.

Genevieve handed me the letter and ran to gather up Carlisle, Horus, and Jasper. I turned my attention back to the letter and read it twice before the words really sunk in. I phased, howling loudly as the words repeated in my head.

_Dear everyone, _

_I hope that you'll forgive me one day, but I had to do it. I'm sure that by now you'll have all noticed that Leah has gone missing. Well, I'm the one who took her. Many, if not all, of you will be very angry with me but if you'd only see it from my side you'd see that she's our bargaining chip. If the Volturi have her, they might just let us off the hook and stay away from our family. The good of the many outweighs the good of the one._

_You're all much too angry with me for me to come back, so for the time being I'll be staying with Aro who so amiably agreed to house me. Remember, I did this for all of you. One day you'll see that and I hope you'll forgive me on said day. _

_With love, _

_Bella Cullen. _

Bella Cullen, that _bitch. _

_

* * *

_**Of course Bella wasn't going to be fine with Leah/Jake. Yay for Horus! :D Can you guys imagine Jasper and Jake in one of Rosalie's dresses? -shudders at thought- So let me clear up a few knows Edward and Carlisle. Carlisle knows Horus because of the times Genevieve's taken Nicolette to see Carlisle when she was younger. Very much on the down low, need to know type of thing. **

**Okay, so next chapter we'll be seeing that bitch Bella's thoughts. Plus a few other tid bits. I'll try to update sooner, I promise. If not, then you'll know Anatomy killed me. X_X**

**Love you guys! Again lots of love to all my reviewers and to Kei Kat Jones and ****ItsCuzOfTheFame. Molto amore per tutti!  
**


	17. Betrayal and Lies All Around

**A.N: Hey hey hey! :D So here's the next chapter. Okay, so I'm deleting the Author's Note I posted a few days ago and making a short recap here: the story will be on hiatus until further noticed. I'm so sorry and I love all my reviewers. All of you guys are amazing and I appreciate the support you've all shown be, especially for this being my first story. So I heart you all and you guys are more amazing than life 3!**

**Ok, so here's the next chapter! :D Oh, and some of you have been asking what's up with Horus and Nicolette? Well, I leave that up to your imaginations. And yeah, Horus does seem like he's after Leah a little, but it's more like the way Emmett teases, all in good fun. Hmm let's see, anything else...Ah! Yes, I have another one of my many plot twists that I'm going to poll you dearies on. It's one I've been thinking about for a long while but I'm asking for your input. And so, there will be a poll on my profile. :D**

**Any question about the story I will be glad to answer if I see that it will not spoil anything. Now, on to the story and the lovely twists! TWIST AND SHOUT (COME ON BABY NOW!) Lol. :D  
**

* * *

**Betrayal and Lies All Around**

Bella's P.O.V

I knew that what I was doing was inexcusable. I knew that taking Leah the way I did would be unforgivable. But honestly, I could care less. That barren, worthless, good for nothing, _whore_ had taken away Jacob from my own daughter and no manner of excuse would make up for it. And to make matters worse, everyone else was completely _fine_ with it.

I looked down at Leah's sedated form and sneered. This _bitch_ was supposed to save us from the Volturi, but I wasn't sure that everyone deserved to be saved anymore. I had bargained Edward, Renesmee, and Jake's lives for Leah's. Aro had been more than delighted to accept the trade and arranged for two of the Guard to collect Leah along with me. The others were such a pain to live with that I didn't feel the need to bother in asking Aro to spare their lives. Trifle annoyances that I'd prefer to spend eternity without.

They were all so careless and now they were going to pay for that. A part of me wanted to go back and apologize for what I've done, but I knew they would never forgive me. It was pointless and not to mention complete suicide. But, the deed was done; there was no turning back now. Funny enough, I was more than fine with that.

Leah had let her guard down when she crossed my path in the woods. She was a little wary of me at first but as soon as I started to apologize for my behavior, I knew I had her hooked. It was simple too. A few heartbreaking glances thrown her way and she instantly accepted everything I spewed out.

As soon as I forced out a few sobs, her newfound kindheartedness took over and she gave me an awkward hug, just long enough that I could administer that sedative. She pulled back and her eyes widened considerably but it was too late. Out like a light.

I had to work fast and seeing as Genevieve didn't come barreling out of the depths of the forest like a bat from hell meant I had some time. See? They were all being so fucking _careless_. But their carelessness was to my advantage and I took whatever I could get.

We were almost to the motel Aro had told me to meet the Guard members in, somewhere in Canada. I lost track of what city we were in exactly. I was purely following the directions of the GPS. I was too lost in thought to care about such trivial things at the moment. When I pulled up to the shabby motel, I parked and tossed Leah's unconscious form on my shoulder.

"Isabella, how nice to see you again." I heard a deep husky voice say behind me.

"Oh, Demetri, I—" Suddenly, I felt Leah being taken from me and Demetri pulling me into a nearby room. I quickly composed myself and took a defensive stance. He raised an eyebrow and gestured for me to calm down.

"Please, excuse my rudeness Isabella, however, I didn't want anyone to see the wolf girl unconscious and think about bringing attention towards us." He said calmly. I relaxed slightly, but I wasn't about to let my guard down.

He smiled. "Try to trust me, Isabella, you're one of the Guard now. A sister, of sorts. To both of us, actually."

"_Both_ of us?" I asked.

"Alec, come out and greet Isabella, please." Demetri called out.

Alec came out from a nearby door and smiled politely at me. "Hello, Bella. It's quite nice to see you again. My master is elated to know that you've finally decided to join us. And the gift you've brought for him had only added to his delight."

I forced out a smile. I didn't really want to have small talk with them, but I had to deal with them from now on and it was better to become allies with them than enemies.

"Yeah, um, so when are we leaving?" I asked awkwardly.

Demetri was the one who answered. "Actually, Isabella, we'll be traveling separately. We need to make sure the wolf girl is properly sedated for the long flight and we must also check on a few _discrepancies_ that our master has asked of us. Don't worry, the wolf will be in _very_ good hands."

"Are you sure?" I asked.

"Yes." He answered almost slyly. "There's a private jet waiting for you at the airport a few miles north from here. Just ask for the jet going from here to Rome and you'll be on your way. From Rome, there will be a car waiting for you. By the time you get there, I suspect it'll be dark so if you'd rather run all the way to Volterra then be my guest. All you have to do is pick up our scent and you'll be lead directly there."

I nodded. "Alright then. Oh, the sedative I gave her should last for another hour or two. It's a pretty strong dose because of their fast metabolism, so you might want to carry a number of vials with you."

Alec chuckled softly. "We're well prepared to handle the wolf, don't fret Bella. We are well…_practiced_, I assure you."

I forced another smile and quickly left. The less time I spent with them the better.

I boarded the jet and I was off to join my new family. I had hours to think to myself and about what I had just done. It seemed so surreal that I expected to wake up at any time and find myself back in the cottage waiting for Edward to come back home. But that wasn't going to happen. I would never be allowed to see my cottage ever gain. Edward would come join me soon enough, but he would be too disgusted with me to be anywhere around me. The same went for Jacob and Renesmee.

I could blame Leah as much as I wanted for this, but in the end it _was_ my fault. I had caused all of this to happen in the first place. My incessant obsession in becoming a vampire and staying with Edward had brought forth all of these events. It was _my_ fault, no one else's. But I couldn't change anything, it was much too late for those thoughts. I would go through eternity with that guilt, but hopefully time would hide some of the guilt never to be seen again. Only time would tell.

My thoughts traveled back to Leah. I wondered what the Volturi would do to her as soon as they had her in their grasp. I doubted that Aro would have her destroyed, she was much too valuable. Genevieve and Horus had trained her and molded her into an almost perfect warrior. Five years was all it took to make her a deadly killer, so I would imagine an eternity of training would make her much more valuable to the Volturi. She was stubborn, yes, but it would only take so much to break her and then she'd be more than willing to cooperate with the Volturi. For her own wellbeing, I hoped she would accept their proposition and join willingly.

A few hours later and the jet landed in Rome. It was indeed dark, as Demetri said it would be. I picked up the trail that Demetri said I would pick up if I chose to run to Volterra, but I wasn't ready to join the others yet. I met the driver outside, ignoring his roaming eyes over my body. The car was darkly tinted and a tinted window blacked out any view of the driver.

I was a few miles away from joining the very family I swore to become a part of. What would Charlie say if he saw me right at this moment, kidnapping his dead best friends daughter? What would he say if he knew that I was forsaking my family and possibly bringing about their destruction? And, all of this, because of a boy. Well, hadn't I left my mortality because of a boy too? It didn't matter anymore. Nothing really mattered anymore. The closer I got to Volterra, the more the guilt weighed down on my heart. Maybe I would take a page out of Leah's book and become a bitter shell of what I used to be.

It couldn't be worse than what I was feeling now.

* * *

Jacob's P.O.V

'_Tell me you guys found something.' _I thought to the others. It had been an hour since we discovered that Leah was missing and Bella was the culprit. Genevieve had taken Carlisle, Horus, and Jasper with her to try and track them down. We haven't heard a word from them, but Pixie saw a glimpse of them coming back soon.

'_Nothing. When I get my hands on that _leech_…'_ Seth growled out. He was beyond pissed right now. As soon as I told him the situation he phased and started barreling through the forest, trying to find some trace of his sister.

I heard Quil sigh. _'Our best bet right now is Genevieve and the others. Any news from Sam, Jake?' _

'_Yeah, Collin thought he caught their scent somewhere near Canada, but it stopped all of a sudden. Same thing with Paul but to the south. Stupid bitch learned something from the first time Leah disappeared it looks like.'_

'_If she did something to Leah…'_ Embry growled.

'_Don't you even dare fucking think that Embry!' _Seth snarled back.

'_Both of you shut the hell up and widen the search area!"_ I had to get them back on track, Leah's life was at stake.

I phased, not being able to stand the pack mind anymore. Edward was outside, pacing back and forth. He seemed to be in his own world or something because he completely ignored the fact that I was there.

"I know you're here _mutt!_ Sorry if my thoughts are on more important matters than listening in on yours." He said without turning to look at me. I narrowed my eyes at him. Was he seriously getting angry at _me?_ After it was _his_ fucking wife who kidnapped _my _Leah?

He finally stopped and glared at me. "If you hadn't left my daughter none of this would have happened. But _no_, you just had to be the rebellious one and defy an imprint! You just _had_ to go and pick the _harpy_ to be your mate! And now, the moment Genevieve sees Bella she's going to kill her."

"You're not honestly trying to tell me that this is _my _fault. You're such a fucking hypocrite! If it wasn't for _you_, Bella wouldn't have had Renesmee in the first place and I wouldn't have imprinted! If it wasn't for _you_, Bella wouldn't be a vampire! Hell, if it wasn't for your whole family, me and the others wouldn't be wolves, we would've been normal!" I growled, feeling the tremors throughout my body.

He smirked darkly at me. "You're probably right Jacob. If it weren't for my family and myself, you would be a normal human. But remember, if we had never come here Leah would be with Sam, living a happy life and probably married. She would've never been yours. The only thing you would have been to her was a brother or a distant friend. Nothing more, no, never anything more than that."

I pinned his body to the ground and was moment away from ripping his head off when I heard a soft sob coming from the doorway. I looked up to see Nessie, tears running down her face, staring at both me and Edward wearily. Her eyes held so much pain and tortured. The last thing she needed was to see me and her father going at it like a couple of dogs.

"I know you're both angry and hurt and a number of other emotions, but this isn't the time nor the place to fight amongst yourselves. You've both said some harsh words that you didn't mean. Don't let the anger and shock you both feel take over. Please, stay levelheaded, for all of our sakes." She turned to walk away but not before she shot us a fleeting glance, the pleading in her eyes prominent above all other emotions.

I sighed. "She's right. I'm still pretty pissed at you, but we have other things to worry about right now. Don't think I'm not going to kick your ass later though." I offered my hand, which he looked skeptically at. Finally, he sighed and accepted my help.

"I'm sorry." He muttered.

I shrugged and we headed inside. Rosalie and Emmett had their eyes glued to their phones in case Carlisle called them with any details. I glanced at Esme and the distraught look on her face was almost too much to look at. Nahuel had gone with Sam and Jared east of here but headed up north into Canada to investigate the trail Colin found. Pixie came barreling down the stairs holding her head and glaring at me.

"Why can't I see you stupid wolves?!" She yelled.

Edward sighed. "Alice…calm down. Your overreacting isn't helping Pixie narrowed her eyes and glared daggers at Edward. He looked unfazed by whatever she was threatening him with in her mind. I shook my head and left the two by the doorway. I didn't want to hear any arguing at the moment so I decided to go look for Nicolette. She was probably the only sane one around here right now.

I walked down a long hallway on the second floor of the mansion, following the cinnamon and vanilla scent that Nicolette had. It took me a while to find her because her scent was so diluted with the strong scent of the Cullens. I finally found her after going down another hallway and going up another flight of stairs, ending up outside a rusted color door.

The room was a deep dark maroon with a few pieces of black furniture. The lighting was pretty dim but I could see fine. Nicolette was laying down in the middle of the room staring at the ceiling. I shut the door softly, not wanting to startle her.

"I've known you were coming for a while. I was wondering when you'd find me. I was about to go and drag you here myself. Good thing you're a better fighter than you are a tracker." She said without turning to look at me.

I rolled my eyes. "You couldn't have given me some psychic help?"

She laughed. "Of course not! Where's the fun in that?" She sat up and patted the seat next to her. I plopped down on the couch and sighed tiredly. She smiled sympathetically at me and gave me a light hug. I felt bad for her, she was so young and yet she had to deal with all of this. It wasn't fair to her.

"Jake, I'm a year older than you, I'm not a kid. You don't have to feel sorry for me or think life has been unfair to me. I love my life and I wouldn't have traded it for the ignorant life other humans know. Plus, with a psychic like me, I wouldn't have fit in the normal world anyways."

"Yeah, but you wouldn't have to deal with all this crap. You wouldn't be risking your life in this stupid fight." I argued back.

She laughed. "You're worse than my mother _and_ Oro! I may not be able to see the future as well as Alice or my mother can, but I promise you that I end up alive. And before you ask, no, I can't see who else lives. My visions come much too sporadically."

I slumped down on the floor and laid my head on the couch. "Anything about seeing the others finding Leah?"

She shook her head sadly. "No. I'm sorry."

"It's not your fault. Um, hey listen Nicolette, I was kind of wondering if you could tell me more about how you know Leah? Did you help train her like you did with Paul?" I asked, needing something to distract me.

She stood and sat right in front of me. "Close your eyes." I quirked up an eyebrow but did it anyways.

"Good, now I want you to find the center of your focus and open your mind. Think about how you open your mind when you're phased. Think about the closeness you feel when you and your brothers share each others thoughts. Concentrate with everything you've got." She commanded.

I heard Nicolette's voice begin to drift away. I didn't let go of the feeling of concentration though. I felt my mind reaching out to my pack and started to hear whispers all around me. I tried focusing more and heard the voices that undoubtedly belonged to my brothers.

'…_Bella…leech bitch…Leah…be okay…'_

'_Should've killed her…chance…traitor…'_

'…_God…keep her safe…'_

I started to feel myself be pulled back into my surroundings and found Nicolette staring at me happily. I stared back, shocked and a little freaked out about what just happened.

"That was amazing! I'm guessing you're much better at it since you're the true Alpha and all. You'd probably be proficient at it after a month or so. Then we'd have to work on controlling it, but other than that you were absolutely superb! Maybe if Leah's connection with your pack wasn't severed by my mother she would have picked it up much sooner." She rambled on excitedly.

"Whoa! Hold on a second Nicolette! What the hell was that?"

She finally snapped out of her rambling and looked at me blankly. "Seriously Jacob? I thought it was obvious. I mean it's not rocket science." I glared at her, annoyed that she wouldn't just tell me.

She sighed. "For goodness sakes, Jacob, you just did a little mind-reading. I mean, it's not the same as I can do but that's because you don't have any real training of course."

My eyes widened. "I-I just did w-what? Are you serious?"

She nodded. "I wouldn't lie to you about that. Your pack mind works somewhat like telepathy, but the only difference is you can't hear the thoughts of others who aren't wolves or you can't hear each others thoughts when you're outside of your wolf forms. It truly is telepathy at its most basic, but I've theorized that it is possible to expand your abilities."

"Is that what you were doing with Leah? Teaching her to read minds?"

"Yup!" She said. "But it's not so simple. Mother was a little worried about the effect it could have on her mind, so she never had me push Leah too hard, just enough that Leah could hear my thoughts or Mothers. See, we're not sure how much strain her mind can handle when it comes to mind-reading like we can. I mean, I learned from a really young age to control it so I don't hear a person's thoughts all the time, like Edward.

"Edward never really took control of his telepathy, though he could if he tried. But anyways, as I was saying, Mother never had Leah delve too far into telepathy because she didn't know if everyone's minds would open up around her the way that your pack mind works. It's possible that everyone around her would be able to hear her thoughts and visa versa."

I stared at her completely speechless. Leah was able to read minds, but all of us in the packs had the ability to? Nicolette nodded her head softly in response to my question. I had to admit it was kind of cool that we could do that, but freaky that we might be able to make it so others around us could hear our thoughts too. Definitely something we might want to look into developing in the future.

I stayed with Nicolette for a while, her telling me more about the training she did with Leah. She told me that she would get pretty frustrated with Leah at times, but Genevieve would chew her out to be more patient with Leah and take things slowly. Eventually Leah got it, but it took a pretty long while. It was nice, talking to Nicolette like this. She was definitely Genevieve's daughter and I could imagine Genevieve was probably like her when she was Nicolette's age.

Nowadays, Genevieve seemed to lack some of that spitfire attitude that Nicolette had. Her eyes always held such a sad tinge to them, even when she was with Seth. For a while I thought it was all because of Edward but I quickly realized that wasn't the case. I know it's strange for a vampire to seem anxious since they're basically living statues, but that's exactly how I always saw Genevieve. The closer it got to the Volturi's arrival, the more I started to notice the subtle gestures she gave off. She was hiding something, that much was obvious to me. But the question was what was she not telling us?

"Jacob," Nicolette said pulling me from my thoughts, "would you be able to kill one of your own? Actually, would you be able to kill one of the Cullens, if they ever asked you to?"

I hesitated. "Um…N-no, I don't think I would. Why are you even asking that Nicolette?"

She began again, ignoring my question. "But, what if you knew that killing them was for the greater good? What if their deaths meant that the world wouldn't suffer a worse fate? What if killing them would mean that you stopped something horrible from happening and they put such faith in that you would do this for them, would you do it then?"

"Never." I whispered. Her face contorted in so much pain that I winced slightly. Something was eating her up inside and she refused to say what it was. It hit me then that whatever was causing Genevieve so much pain was the cause for Nicolette's pain. Like mother, like daughter. Both were one in the same, sharing in each other's pain.

Before I could question her, Emmett came barreling in the room informing us that they found Leah and something else about the Guard, but I didn't hear the rest as I pushed passed him to inform the others and get my Leah back.

* * *

Leah's P.O.V

I woke up in a fog. Everything around me was way too bright and everything was much too quiet. The sickly sweet smell of vampire wafted into my nose but I was still too groggy to do anything about it. I started remembering bits and pieces of what happened while my body quickly recovered.

Bella had come out of the forest pleading to me that I forgive her. She just wanted what was best for Jacob and Renesmee and thought that I was coming in between that. She realized that they were happy without being with each other romantically and she was sorry for not being understanding. She started sobbing at that point and I instantly felt so bad that I told her that of course she was forgiven. Sobs racked through her body so I leaned in to give her a bit of comfort when I felt something sharp stab me in my abdomen. I jumped away and looked at her in horror. I was about to phase but my body felt too heavy and before I knew it I fell to the ground with an audible thud.

"Ah, the lady wakes. Your slumber was filled with sweet dreams I hope." A deep melodic voice uttered. My vision was still a little blurry but I could make out a gorgeous man with shoulder-length hair staring at me with crimson-blood eyes. I tried moving away, but my limbs still felt too heavy to lift.

Another voice, much softer spoke. "Calm down wolf. There's no use in you trying to move, your body is pretty much useless for the next few hours." A cool hand touched my forehead and my heart instantly began to race. I willed my body to move, but my efforts were in vain.

"How curious. You're temperature is such that even with a slight touch I can feel my own rise. An interesting remembrance of my human years." The voice finished sadly. I squinted my eyes trying to focus on the face and realized it was one of the Guard, Demetri. I looked at the other figure and saw it was the twin of that sadist girl. Alec, I think his name was.

"Don't touch me." I managed to hiss at Demetri. He looked at me apologetically and complied almost immediately.

Alec scoffed. "I don't see why you're trying to be nice to her. She's not going to trust you. You should keep your hands to yourself Demetri before she tries to bite them off."

Demetri furrowed his eyebrows together. "If Genevieve trusts her, then I should as well. My love has always been a judge of character dear Alec. Something you've failed to learn from her it seems."

Alec narrowed his eyes at Demetri and a dark smile formed on his childlike face. "Oh really? Well, it seems you've failed to learn that Genevieve isn't _your_ love anymore. She's the wolf's brother's love now. Pray tell, Demetri, how does it feel losing the only woman you've ever loved to a _mutt?_ How does it feel knowing that she didn't even have the decency and heart to tell you goodbye and left it up to me to tell you?"

I glanced and saw Demetri's body tense up, but he said nothing. His face betrayed no emotion. He turned away from Alec and turned his attention to me. For a moment, I saw a flash of pain in his eyes but it was gone just as quickly as it came. He sat down next to me and forced out a small smile.

"I'm surprised that you've decided not to struggle. Jane's told us that you wolves are quite volatile and any little things sets you off. I actually believed you were going to do you could to escape."

I snorted. "Well, sorry if I'm kind of paralyzed here. But don't you worry, the moment I can move I'll be sure to rip off your pretty little head."

"And with that, I take my leave. If you need me…don't go looking for me." Alec sneered. He was out of the room in a flash.

Demetri sighed. "You'll have to excuse him. He's never really liked anyone who's caught Genevieve's attention. She never noticed, I think. Always much too caught up in the idea that she let him and Jane down, dooming them to this life for all eternity. Such a cruel soul, but what can you do?"

"Burn him, for one." I suggested. Oddly enough, I didn't feel like he was a threat to me. Maybe it was the fact that he spoke of Genevieve so highly. He easily could've killed me at anytime but he was actually taking care of me.

He laughed. "Maybe, but I don't think Genevieve would be too happy with me if I did that to her underling. She was the one who sired him you know, so she has a deeper connection with him than any of us could ever have. I think that's why he hates anyone who he feels vies for Genevieve's attention."

I felt my fingers twitch, a sign that the sedative that bitch gave me was starting to wear off. Demetri noticed too and nodded.

"Looks like you'll be able to move shortly. Hopefully Genevieve will get here soon enough." I looked at him in surprise. She was what?

"Oh, right, I forgot to mention that Alec phoned her that you were in our custody ten minutes after Isabella left. She and the others with her should be arriving in the next half hour or so."

I couldn't speak. What the hell was going on? The Guard wasn't supposed to be helping their enemy but here was Alec and Demetri helping me get back home.

"What the fuck? You're not supposed to be helping me or the Cullens. You realize that right?"

He laughed softly. "Yes, I do realize this. But please, don't ask me anymore questions about it. Genevieve will answer all your inquiries when she arrives. In the meantime, is there anything you'd like? Food? Something to drink?"

I shook my head. "No, thanks. So, um, you were Genevieve's mate way back when? Can you tell me more about it? I mean, she's mentioned you but never really in detail."

He smiled and began telling me about his time with the girl he thought was made for him. He told me about the time she and the Volturi spent at his cousin's home and how he met her there by sort of tracking her down. The moment Demetri saw her, he felt drawn to her. He fell for her and he fell hard. The time they spent together was the only real joy Demetri had after he was given immortality. Genevieve was his beacon of happiness and he did everything he could to keep it that way.

When the twins were changed, Genevieve began to change. She was rarely ever happy, and when she was it was short lived. Demetri felt like he had let her down and the fact that he couldn't make her smile like before made him feel like he had failed in his job as her mate. When Carlisle came around, she actually started to smile and laugh a little. He was a little jealous of the closeness that they shared, but eventually he didn't care as long as Genevieve was happy.

The day she left, Demetri had planned to take her somewhere far away just so she could escape their lives for a while. He heard the conversation she had with Carlisle and decided not to stop her. She needed to leave and he had to let her go. When Alec came by to tell him the news, he finally let the pain seep in and didn't leave his chambers for a month.

My heart went out to him. He truly loved Genevieve, and he still does. He would do just about anything for her and that was more than heartbreaking. By this time, I was finally able to move so I sat up and hugged him lightly. He smiled in return, but it never reached his eyes. Beyond his blood-filled eyes, I saw the heartbreak and pain that he'd been holding in for centuries. It was almost too much to look at.

"I'm sorry." I blurted out. I wasn't exactly sure why, but part of me felt that I was obligated to apologize for the fact that my brother was the one who made Genevieve happy now.

He shook his head. "There's nothing to apologize for. She's happy and for me that's all that really matters. I won't say that it doesn't hurt, but eventually the pain will wither away like all things do. She wasn't only my mate but she was my heart. All the goodness I had in me was due solely to her. Nothing and no one will ever replace what I had with her, not that they could ever try."

I looked away, not being able to look at Demetri's eyes anymore. His pain reminded me of the pain I felt after Sam and the pain I felt with Jacob. It wasn't fair to him, but I could exactly blame Genevieve either. Being with the Volturi was suffocating her, and Demetri could probably never live the vegetarian lifestyle. I sure hoped that some powerful deity up there would take pity on him and help him past all the pain and suffering he's had to endure.

"Do you think that you'd be able to _just _be her companion? Not romantically, but something like a friend?" I asked him.

"If that's the most that I could get, then yes. I'm sure I'd always feel jealousy towards your brother for being lucky enough to have her, but eventually it would die down somewhat. I think I miss having her in my life to begin with. Not having her in my life is worse than not having her as my beloved by tremendous proportions." He answered truthfully.

"You and Genevieve sure are the right kind of depressing." I said, trying to lighten up the mood.

He chuckled softly and nodded his head in agreement. Demetri was a good person who had made bad decisions and like Genevieve, I was quick to see that as well. I offered to speak to the Cullen's on his behalf and see if they would accept him into their family. He declined saying that he wanted to spend some time on his own and not be tied down to a family yet again. He did agree to look into the offer in a few years, after he was done traveling the world.

"I suppose I should start becoming accustomed to feeding on animals if I'm to ever join the 'vegetarians' huh?" He joked lightly.

"Well, that would certainly help." I turned my head to see Genevieve, Carlisle, Horus and Jasper standing in the doorway. I jumped off the bed and ran to the four and hugged them simultaneously. Genevieve let me go and walked over to Demetri.

"I've missed you Genevieve. It's good to see you." Demetri said before he hugged her affectionately. The moment felt so intimate that Horus pointed out I was blushing. A low growl coming from behind us made us all look back and see Alec glaring at Demetri with hatred.

Demetri reluctantly let go of Genevieve. She smiled apologetically at him and opened her arms to welcome Alec. He flew at her and embraced her tightly, hiding his face in the crook of her neck. I heard him inhale deeply, seeming to comfort himself with her scent. Finally, he let go of her but stood to her right side, grasping her hand tightly in his. The harsh and cruel boy I saw a while ago disappeared and turned into this boy who seemed to have at long last found his mother of sorts.

From the corner of my eye, I saw Horus' fists tighten up and his body went rigid. I put a hand on his shoulder and he instantly calmed. It seemed like most of the boys were being much too protective of Genevieve so I nodded at Jasper to send a wave of calm to everyone. The tension immediately cleared and Genevieve ushered everyone to come inside and shut the door.

"Ok, so, um, you want to explain what the hell's going on? Like why two of the Guard are helping us? Or how you didn't see this coming?" I asked curious about everything.

Carlisle, Horus and Jasper exchanged worried glances. Genevieve must've filled them in on the situation on the way over here. Alec kept his gaze concentrated on the floor and squeezed Genevieve's hand even tighter. Demetri looked out the window, pain slowly creeping up his features.

"Well, actually it is more like three of the Guard are helping us, however, the third is a tad bit reluctant to join us just yet. Demetri and Alec have always been loyal to me and would forever remain loyal to me no matter what Aro did to them. Alec was the first to contact me every so often and inform me about what my old family had been up to. Demetri soon became entangled in this affair and did the same.

"To answer your second question, I truly did not see Bella doing this at all. There was no manner of way that I could have seen this coming, even if I wanted to." She finished.

"How is that possible?" I asked confused.

She sighed. "Leah, you remember Eleazar correct?" I nodded. "Well, a few years before I left the Volturi he had informed me that though my abilities are extraordinary, they are the complement in a set. Meaning, I share my abilities, in a way, with another."

"Who?" I asked, afraid of the answer.

She stared at the ground and hesitated. "My…m-my father." She said so softly that I almost couldn't catch it. My eyes widened incredulously. I looked at the others and saw their saddened and angered faces as confirmation that this was true.

"Eleazar described it as yin and yang. We are both opposites of one another, but we cannot exist without the other. We have our own individual abilities but we also share many of them. Being able to see the future is one of them. Whatever he sees, I am not able to see. My father prefers using it as little as possible, giving me much more control over the ability.

"We have both seen the upcoming battle and we have both seen it in parts. He has seen parts of the middle just as I have. However, while he has seen the beginning I have seen the end."

Demetri spoke up. "Her father's been quite frustrated because of that fact. He's begun to take it out on the others and Aro doesn't do a damn thing about it. Her father has become corrupted by the power that he has and he wants more. He's insufferable."

"I don't get it. What does that have to do with the upcoming battle? What does this have to do with Amaris?" I asked.

"Leah…" Carlisle said. Genevieve shook her head, telling him that it wasn't his place to talk.

She took my hand and squeezed it tightly. "Amaris is but a pawn in their true plan. The child is much stronger than any of them, except for my father. And while it is true that they want to use her to destroy all of your family and friends, she is but a tool to get the rest of you out of the way for their true purpose."

I breathed deeply. "Which is what exactly?"

"Me. They want me back, more specifically my father wants me back. Having both of us together, he believes he can become more powerful and that I will eventually bow down to his will."

"Like a merge of powers." I stated.

She nodded. "Exactly."

"Then why train me? Why waste all this time to train me for Amaris?" I grit out, my voice raising slightly.

She smiled sadly. I noticed Demetri, Alec and Horus were growling lowly, while Carlisle kept his gaze on the ground. Jasper looked like he was trying his hardest to keep everyone calm, but the feelings around him were much too intense to control.

"Leah, I was never training you to kill Amaris. I was training you to kill…to kill me." She whispered softly.

* * *

**So I was rereading the part where Demetri and Alec are talking to Bella saying that they'd be able to handle Leah and while reading it I realized something...They sound like total rapists. Lmao! That was not my intention at all, I promise you. **

**Oh, and let me be a little clear on the whole age thing with the wolf pack and some of the other characters. Remember this is about 5 to 6 years after the Volturi come to Forks. **

**Ages:  
Sam, Jared, and Paul-28  
Leah and Emily-27  
Nicolette-24  
Jake, Embry and Quil-23  
Seth-21  
Genevieve-783  
Horus-524  
Jane and Alec-373  
Demetri-616**


End file.
